Ruolo dei parassitoidi oofagi nel controllo naturale dei fitofagi del nocciolo responsabili del “cimiciato delle nocciole” nel Parco dei Nebrodi (ME).

Role of oophagous parasitoids in the natural control of hazelnut bugs inducingthe “cimiciato seeds” in Nebrodi Park (ME)Oophagous parasitoids of bugs collected on hazelnut cultivations and seasonalparasitism on eggs of Gonocerus acutengulatus (Goeze) were studied from 2004 to2006 in the Nebrodi Park (ME). Samples of bug eggs were collected in three altitudeareas, 300-590, 600-890 and 900-1100 m above sea level, and examined inlaboratory. Parasitoid adults obtained from all eggs were identified. Parasitizationlevels, detected on G. acuteangulatus in all areas showed a similar trend with themost value on August. Significant regression between the total number of eggs andthe number of parasitized eggs was found (R2=0.75). Parasitoid species detectedwere Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy), Gryon muscaeformis (Nees), Telenomusviggiani Mineo and other three species not yet identified.