Population Fluctuations of Wooly Whitefly (Aleurothrixus floccosus Maskell), Citrus Whitefly (Dialeurodes citri Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Some Natural Enemies in Citrus of Antalya Province

Abstract

In this study, populations fluctuations of two whitefly species (Aleurotrhrixus floccosus and Dialeurodes citri) and their some natural enemies (Chilocorus bipustulatus, Oenopia conglobata, Chrysoperla carnea, Cales noacki and Encarsia lahorensis) were investigated in the orchards of mandarin, grapefruit, yafa orange, washington orange and lemon of West Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute (BATEM), Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in 2012 and 2013. At the samplings, two leaf sampling methods were used for population dynamic investigations of whiteflies’ nymphs. These methods sustained with leaf sampling methods were random and directed sampling methods. Directed sampling method was used for A. floccosus since there is very little on the leaves as cumulative distributed. Random sampling method was used for D. citri since there are relatively more on leaves and randomly distributed.  In addition, adults’ population densities were investigated by using yellow sticky traps. The first adult flights of D. citri and A. floccosus were seen firstly in the end of march- first week of april and then population density were increased in June. In the same way, it was determined that pests began to lay eggs in April, continued until September and it spent winter period in nymph or pupal period.