Investigation of Parasitoids of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in cornfields in Damascus countryside.

Abstract

The research was carried out in a cornfield in Al-Maranah site in Al-Kiswah area (Damascus countryside) during the 2022 season. The corn variety (Golden sweet) is very sweet; the area of ​​​​the field is about 4 acres. This study aimed to investigate the insect parasitoids associated with Spodoptera frugiperda, and to determine the percentage and relative density of the recorded parasitoids. In this study, two egg parasitoids of the genus Telonomus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) were recorded. The parasitism was recorded on 5 egg masses, with an average of 25% of egg masses, and four parasitoids of the Hymenoptera order, family Braconidae, including the egg-larval parasitoid Chelonus formosanus, and three among them are larval parasitoids: Diolcogaster choi, Habrobracon hebetor, Cotesia marginiventris, and three parasitoids from the order Diptera, family Tachinidae: Exorista xanthaspis, Cylindromyia sp. and Lespesia aletiae.

 The results showed that most of the parasitoids recorded on the insect were recorded for the first time in Syria. The main parasitoids of the armyworm during the study period are the larval parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor, and the egg parasitoid - larval Chelonus formosanus.