THE INFLUENCE OF ABIOTIC FACTORS IN DEVELOPMENT OF CODLING MOTH AND ITS NATURAL ENEMIES IN SOUTHERN SERBIA

Abstract

The codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.) is the most economically significant pest found in apples, pears, quinces, peaches and walnuts in southern Serbia. The research was carried out with the aim to determine the presence of this species in the monocultural apple plantations, apple plantations with mixed varieties of apple trees, abandoned apple plantations and on apple trees that were part of the spontaneous flora. The monitoring was also carried out on the individual apple trees grown on infields, whereby some of them were chemically protected and others were not. The standard entomological methodology used for the research was divided into the field observation (pheromone traps, trunk bands made of corrugated cardboard, visual examination, the branch beating method, entomological isolators) and the laboratory growth (the growth of interwoven larvae, the growth of the collected plant organs with eggs hatched on them, taxidermy, labelling, determination and collecting of the material gathered in the field). The results of the research showed that the variability of abiotic factors affected the length of the codling moth’s developmental phases. It also affected the numerousness of codling moths. These are the identified natural enemies of the codling moth: parasite species of codling moth from the Hymenoptera order (Ichneumonidae, Braconidae), species known as moth (Tortricidae) parasites from Hymenoptera and Diptera orders, predator species from the following orders: Dermaptera (Forficulidae), Neuroptera (Chrysopidae), Coleoptera (Coccinellidae) and Heteroptera (Miridae)