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Simple Summary: In a framework of sustainable agriculture, strategies aimed at preserving and enhancing pest natural enemies are crucial. However, knowledge about the parasitoid complex associated with a particular pest is often fragmentary. Herein, we investigated the parasitoids associated with the European grapevine moth, one of the main vine pests in the Mediterranean area, in a natural context, where the moth lives on Daphne gnidium, deemed as its original host plant. We observed a heterogeneous and complex community, consisting of a few predominant parasitoid species, followed by satellite species, and occasional parasitoids. Parasitic wasps, such as Campoplex capitator and Trichogramma spp., can be also found in the vineyards, thus understanding their dynamics in the wild could be useful to improve biological control strategies for managing EGVM populations. The European grapevine moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is one of the major concerns for vineyard managers in the Mediterranean area. It is a polyphagous moth, which develops on a wide variety of host plants, among which the spurge flax, Daphne gnidium (Thymelaeaceae), very likely represents its originary wild host plant. In this study, we investigated the parasitoid complex of L. botrana feeding on D. gnidium during a three-year sampling in a natural reserve in Tuscany, Italy, where this plant is extremely abundant while the grapevine is absent. A total of 24 species of parasitoids were obtained from eggs, larvae, and pupae of EGVM, belonging to 6 families of Hymenoptera and a family of Diptera. The ichneumonid wasp Campoplex capitator was the most abundant larval parasitoid. Four species of the genus Trichogramma were obtained from parasitized eggs during the first year of sampling, with a peak in the parasitisation during the EGVM 3rd generation. Some of the main EGVM parasitoids on spurge flax were also observed in vineyards, although a certain degree of redundancy was observed in the wild, due to several less frequent "satellite" species exploiting the same host. Overall, this research sheds light on the parasitoid community and dynamics of this important moth pest in a grapevine-free natural ecosystem, discussing the possible role of natural areas as ecological reservoirs of pest natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An economically important pest of Ficus carica L. is causing severe infestations in many fig nurseries and orchards in Italy. Belonging to the genus Aclees spp. (Coleoptera Curculionidae), this Asiatic species was accidentally introduced in Europe about 15 years ago, in a Tuscan nursery. Originally identified as Aclees cribratus Gyllenhal, it has been then reported as Aclees sp.cf. foveatus Voss and, more recently, identified as Aclees taiwanensis Kono. A serious damage to fig plants is caused mainly by the larvae, which drill tunnels into the wood and by adults that feed on buds, leaves and young fruits. The present survey applies molecular genetics techniques to reconstruct the genetic profile of the species. To this purpose, the partial sequence of the 18S rRNA gene and the hypervariable region ITS2 of the ribosomal cistron were used as molecular markers for specimens of A. taiwanensis collected in Italy and Aclees hirayamai Kono from Philippines. The analysis of the partial sequences of the 18S rRNA allowed the distinction of two haplotypes for each insect, except for a sample from Philippines, for which one haplotype does exist. The use of the ITS2 hypervariable region highlighted the existence of only one haplotype in the Italian accessions. Only in the sample collected in Lucca (2LU) two haplotypes were highlighted in ITS2. These results are discussed with the occurrence of A. taiwanensis in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some species of two tribes (Anthidiini and Osmiini) of the bee family Megachilidae utilize empty gastropod shells as nesting cavities. While snail-nesting Osmiini have been more frequently studied and the nesting biology of several species is well-known, much less is known about the habits of snail-nesting Anthidiini. We collected nests of four species of the genus Rhodanthidium (R. septemdentatum, R. sticticum, R. siculum and R. infuscatum) in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Catalonia (Spain) and Sicily (Italy). We dissected these nests in the laboratory and documented their structure, pollen sources and nest associates. The four species usually choose large snail shells. All four species close their nests with a plug made of resin, sand and fragments of snail shells. However, nests of the four species can be distinguished based on the presence (R. septemdentatum, R. sticticum) or absence (R. siculum, R. infuscatum) of mineral and plant debris in the vestibular space, and the presence (R. septemdentatum, R. infuscatum) or absence (R. sticticum, R. siculum) of a resin partition between the vestibular space and the brood cell. Rhodanthidium septemdentatum, R. sticticum and R. siculum usually build a single brood cell per nest, but all R. infuscatum nests studied contained two or more cells. For three of the species (R. siculum, R. septemdentatum and R. sticticum) we confirmed overwintering in the adult stage. Contrary to R. siculum, R. septemdentatum and R. sticticum do not hide their nest shells and usually use shells under the stones or hidden in crevices within stone walls. Nest associates were very infrequent. We only found two R. sticticum nests parasitized by the chrysidid wasp Chrysura refulgens and seven nests infested with pollen mites Chaetodactylus cf. anthidii. Our pollen analyses confirm that Rhodanthidium are polylectic but show a preference for Fabaceae by R. sticticum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reports data on the biology of eleven species of tachinid flies collected in Italy and Spain on different host plants and emerged from different host larvae. An annotated list of the eleven species emerged from the collected lepidopterans is provided; information about distribution and biology are given as well as the description of their puparia. Two new parasitoid species of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) Lobesia botrana were recorded: Clemelis massilia, whose host preferences were unknown so far, and Neoplectops pomonellae. A list of lepidopteran pest species with their associated plants and tachinid parasitoids is then given in order to highlight the relationships among the three components of the biocenosis (plant, herbivore and parasitoid). Eventually, due to the great economic importance of L. botrana in viticulture, a preliminary identification key to the puparia of its tachinid parasitoids is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this second review of the parasitoids recorded on Lobesia botrana (EGVM) in Italy, an updated list and summary of the information available on 14 taxa of Ichneumonidae belonging to the subfamilies Anomaloninae and Campopleginae are provided. For each taxon, geographic distributions, host ranges, ecological role in viticulture and/or in other crops, and taxonomy are provided and discussed. For the most interesting species, tables summarizing the parasitization rates recorded in the field on EGVM or other lepidopteran pests are given. Identification mistakes and wrong synonymies that have generated great confusion and often made geographic distributions and host ranges unreliable are highlighted. A list of four Anomaloninae and 27 Campopleginae recorded on EGVM in Europe is also provided. Among the species examined, Campoplex capitator Aubert is the only potential candidate for biological control of EGVM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bracon admotus Papp, 2000, and three species of the genus Habrobracon Ashmead, 1895, H. concolorans (Marshall, 1900), H. hebetor (Say, 1836) and H. pillerianae Fischer, 1980, were obtained from the larvae of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphne gnidium Linnaeus, 1753 (Thymelaeaceae) in the natural reserve of Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli (Pisa- Central Italy). Bracon admotus, Habrobracon concolorans and H. pillerianae were found for the first time to be associated with L. botrana, while H. hebetor was reared for the first time from the larvae of Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière, 1867) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae) that was found on the same host plant. Bracon admotus and H. pillerianae are new to the fauna of Italy and Western Europe. A key is proposed for the determination of Habrobracon species reared from L. botrana and related Palaearctic species of this genus. Habrobracon lineatellae Fisher, 1968 is considered as a valid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]