Articles
BENEFICIAL INSECTS IN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT ON URBAN TREES. EXAMPLES IN NORTHERN ITALY
Article number
496_21
Pages
169 – 176
Language
Abstract
The surveys carried out on urban public green in northern Italy have allowed to highlight how it is a rather complex ecosystem, where often there are 4 trophic levels, from the producers to the hyperparasitoids.
This reality has not only appeared in urban parks, that maintains at least the semblance of “naturalness”, but also along tree-lined avenues, a type of green which is generally considered poor from an ecological point of view.
The chain that in particular hinges on the Rhynchota results very complex, the phytophagous insects which are more frequent on urban public green in northern Italy, which represent more than 75% of the species present.
To the detriment of this insects consistent populations of Rhynchota Anthocoridae, Neuroptera Chrysopidae, Diptera Syrphidae, Coleoptera Coccinellidae, Hymenoptera Braconidae, Eupelmidae and Scelionidae develop which result particularly efficacious in the summer months.
The presence of such a coexistence of predators and parasitoids, together with the use of defence techniques which have a low impact on the environment allows not to turn to chemical means.
Such techniques as the washing of the plants infested by aphids with water jets with the addition of neutral soaps, if carried out at the beginnings of the infestation it can lead to a reduction by up to 70% of the density of the aphid population at a time when the antagonists are not very active.
This situation is also applicable to most of the other phytophagous insects so much so that a chemical management is only carried out on Platanus spp., against Corythucha ciliata Say, and on Ulmus spp., against Xanthogaleruca luteola (Müll.).
This reality has not only appeared in urban parks, that maintains at least the semblance of “naturalness”, but also along tree-lined avenues, a type of green which is generally considered poor from an ecological point of view.
The chain that in particular hinges on the Rhynchota results very complex, the phytophagous insects which are more frequent on urban public green in northern Italy, which represent more than 75% of the species present.
To the detriment of this insects consistent populations of Rhynchota Anthocoridae, Neuroptera Chrysopidae, Diptera Syrphidae, Coleoptera Coccinellidae, Hymenoptera Braconidae, Eupelmidae and Scelionidae develop which result particularly efficacious in the summer months.
The presence of such a coexistence of predators and parasitoids, together with the use of defence techniques which have a low impact on the environment allows not to turn to chemical means.
Such techniques as the washing of the plants infested by aphids with water jets with the addition of neutral soaps, if carried out at the beginnings of the infestation it can lead to a reduction by up to 70% of the density of the aphid population at a time when the antagonists are not very active.
This situation is also applicable to most of the other phytophagous insects so much so that a chemical management is only carried out on Platanus spp., against Corythucha ciliata Say, and on Ulmus spp., against Xanthogaleruca luteola (Müll.).
Publication
Authors
G.C. Lozzia
Keywords
Aphids, Eucallipterus tiliae, predators, parasitoids
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