Seasonal occurrence of aphids and their natural enemies in Satsuma mandarin orchards in Izmir, Turkey

Field surveys were carried to determine the seasonal occurrence of aphids and their natural enemies in four Satsuma mandarin orchards in Izmir, Turkey between January 2006 and November 2007. Aphid species determined included Aphis craccivora Koch, 1854; Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877; Aphis spiraecola Patch, 1914; Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae (Sulzer, 1776) and Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1841). Predators from the following families were determined: Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Chrysopidae (Neuroptera), Syrphidae, Cecidomyiidae, and Chamaemyiidae (Diptera). Braconidae (Hymenoptera) parasitoids were reared from field-collected mummies. Aphid numbers fluctuated from early April to the beginning of July and were highest from late April to early June. Several species natural enemies of aphid were found and, when combined with high summer temperatures, negated the need for insecticidal application. Therefore, conservation of natural enemies is an essential component of the management of aphids in Satsuma mandarins in Izmir.