Mustafa Avci

Tachinidae parasitoids ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis from Turkey

Tachinid parasitoids ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doğanlar & Avcı (Lepidoptera, Thaumetopoeidae), which was found to be a new species, were collected from the cedar forests around Isparta-Kapıdağ. The species found wereBlondelia nigripes (Fall.),Compsilura concinnata (Meig.),Pales processioneae (Ratz.),Phryxe caudata (Rond.),Exorista segregata (Rond.) andCarcelia iliaca (Ratz.). Within the six species of Tachinidae,B. nigripes was the most common one, parasitizing up to 4.6% ofT. ispartaensis pupae.

Growth loss of Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani) stands as related to periodic outbreaks of the cedar shoot moth (Dichelia cedricola)

An outbreak ofDichelia cedricola (Diakonoff) (Lep.: Tortricidae), the cedar shoot moth (CSM), began in spring 1998 and lasted 3 years. This was the first monitored outbreak of the CSM in Isparta, Turkey. Tree crowns recovered to near normal condition by the middle of each growing season (in early June) during the outbreak. Tree volume and volume element increments were examined throughout the outbreak cycle from 1954 to 2001. In the past, CSM activity in stands of Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) was assessed through radial increment analyses. Cedar tree ring chronologies were analyzed for evidence of the CSM. Tree-ring chronologies from nonhost cedar (nondefoliated sample trees) were used to estimate potential growth in the host cedar (defoliated sample trees) during current and past outbreaks; all trees selected were the same subspecies and varieties. Regional outbreaks of the CSM were identified by synchronous and sustained growth periods of the trees. In 2001, increment cores were collected from 17 host and 16 nonhost dominant or codominant trees and annual radial growth indices from 1954–2001 were calculated for each of two host and two nonhost sample plots. Growth functions were defined as the cumulative sum of radial, height, and volume increment, and were graphically compared between CSM host cedar and nonhost cedar trees. Tree ring evidence suggests that a large-scale outbreak occurred in 1955 (from 1955 to 1966) and a small outbreak occurred in 1985 (1985–1990) and in 1998 (1998-continued) in the study area. The average diameter growth reductions around 1955, 1985 and 1998 were 40%, 46% and 7% of potential, respectively. It was concluded that a narrow latewood band is significant indicator of defoliation by the CSM and the outbreaks appear to be associated with dry winter and spring weather prior to the autumn and winter in which wood feeding occurred.

Parasitism of egg-batches of the cedar processionary mothTraumatocampa ispartaensis in Turkey

Studies were carried out on the egg material ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doganlar & Avcı (Lep.: Notodontidae) collected onCedrus libani A. Rich. A total of 95 egg-batches were sampled over two annual generations ofTr. ispartaensis. The number of eggs in each egg-batch varied between 39 and 245 and the length of the batches varied between 7 and 36 mm. The mean number of eggs per batch was found to be 119 and 122 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Based on field data the oviposition period continued from mid August to mid September. The mean hatching rate of the host was found to be 85.8% and 88.9%, whereas the impact of egg parasitoids accounted for 11.3% and 7.4%, respectively in the 2 years.Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) was observed as the most abundant egg parasitoid, followed byOoencyrtus sp. nearmasii (Mercet) andTrichogramma brassicae Bezdenko. Based on the emergence dynamics of the egg parasitoids in the laboratory, it seems thatO. pityocampae emerged mainly in June whereasO. sp. nearmasii andT. brassicae emerged mainly in May.

The impact of cedar processionary moth [Traumatocampa ispartaensis (Doğanlar & Avcí) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)] outbreaks on radial growth of Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) trees in Turkey

In the spring of 1998, an outbreak of the cedar processionary moth (CPM) [Traumatocampa ispartaensis (Doğanlar and Avcí 2001)], a notodontid moth, began on 400xa0ha in a 75-year-old stand of Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.) trees in the western Mediterranean region of Turkey. This was the first monitored outbreak of CPM in the Isparta region. Tree crowns recovered to near normal condition by the middle of each growing season (beginning of July) during the outbreak. From 1999–2003, CPM larvae were present in the same stands and again caused defoliation. The objective of this research was to explore dendrochronology as a means of determining the long-term role of CPM in tree growth and to quantify the historic importance of CPM. In 2003, increment cores were collected from 28 host and 10 nonhost dominant or codominant trees, and annual radial-growth indices from 1947–2003 were calculated for one nonhost and four host sample plots. Cedar tree-ring chronologies were analyzed for evidence of CPM. Tree-ring chronologies from nonhost cedar (undefoliated sample trees) were used to estimate potential growth in the host cedar (defoliated sample trees) during current and past outbreaks. The trees selected as host and nonhost were the same subspecies and varieties. We identified regional outbreaks of CPM by synchronous and sustained growth periods of the trees. Growth functions were defined as the cumulative sum of radial increments. Tree-ring evidence suggests that a large-scale outbreak began in 1954 (lasting from 1954–1961) and small outbreaks began in 1947 (1947–1951), 1985 (1985–1988), and 1998 (1998–2003) in the study area. The average reductions in diameter growth for the periods around 1947, 1954, 1985, and 1998 were 40, 28, 17, and 10% of potential, respectively. We concluded that a narrow latewood band is a significant historic indicator of defoliation by CPM, and the outbreaks appear to be associated with dry winter and spring weather prior to the fall and winter in which feeding occurred.

A new species of Elathous Reitter (Coleoptera: Elateridae) from Turkey

A new click-beetle species, Elathous serti, from Denizli and Isparta provinces of Turkey is described. Photographs of the adults, drawings of the aedeagi, a contrasting comparison table, a key to all Turkish Elathous species, a distribution map, and a table of collecting months and collecting provinces of all Turkish species are provided.