Monitoring of aphid flight activities in seed potato crops in Serbia

Aphid flight activities in seed potato fields have been studied by the yellow water traps. It is a good method for monitoring aphids as vectors of viruses, but this study also showed it is a suitable method for insect-diversity research. During the four-year studies, over 11.500 specimens were collected and a total of 107 different taxa of aphids were identified. The most abundant species were polyphagous species, such as: Acyrthosiphon pisum (Haris), Aphis fabae Scopoli, Aphis gossypii Glover and Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kaltenbach). The results of the studies show that diversity of aphids in different regions of Serbia is similar regardless of the altitude and the diversity of terrain. At most sites it ranged from 2 to 3. The highest value was recorded in Begec, locality in northern part of Serbia, in year 2008, and it was 2.92. The maximum values of the Shannon-Weaver diversity index at all sites were recorded in the first weeks of the monitoring of aphid flight activities. Morisita-Horn similarity index shows no significant differences between sites regardless of altitudes. The sites are grouped by year, not by similarity of relief. In spite of these results, the Chi-square analysis showed highly significant difference in vector frequencies among seasons and sites with more pronounced differences for PVY. As a consequence of differences in vector frequencies, the vector pressure index in some regions was different also. The number of vectors and vector pressure index vary depending on the altitude of localities. At localities at altitudes under 1000 m, they were high. The highest index was at Kotraza, locality in central part of Serbia, in 2007, when PVY index exceeded the value of 180, while for PLRV it was 60. At high altitudes on mountain Golija, above 1100 m, the number of aphids was low, as well as the vector pressure index which indicates that these regions are suitable for producing virus-free seed potato

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Alfalfa and and their Coccinellid Predators in Serbia: Seasonal Abundance

Population dynamics and flight activity of alfalfa aphids were documented at two locations in Serbia in 2011 and 2012. Additionally, the abundance of coccinellid predators was tested for correlation with aphid abundance. In order to verify the potential presence of the invasive Acyrthosiphon kondoi, aphids were collected from 44 alfalfa fields. Two sampling methods were used: stem samples and water traps. There were two seasonal peaks for aphids and coccinellids during both years, the end of May and the end of August. The most abundant aphid species was Therioaphis trifolii. Eight aphidophagous coccinellids were recorded. The invasive Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) was one of the three most abundant coccinellids. Pearson's product-moment correlation showed a significant correlation of coccinellid predators associated with aphids on alfalfa. Pearson's product-moment correlation between the number of aphids on alfalfa stem and in traps was found significant only for T trifolii, which was the most numerous species in the traps. More Aphis craccivora were collected with water traps as compared to alfalfa stems, whereas more Acyrthosiphon pisum specimens were collected from alfalfa stems than from traps. The invasive species A. kondoi was not recorded in Serbia during this study

Several new and one invasive aphid species (Aphididae, Hemiptera) caught by yellow water traps in Serbia

Eight aphid species were determined as new records for Serbia as a result of the evaluation of the specimens caught by yellow water traps used for monitoring vector activities in seed potato crops during the 4 years 2007-2010. The invasive aphid species Macrosiphum albifrons Essig 1911; and the new species Acyrthosiphon cyparissiae (Koch 1855), Ctenocallis setosus (Kaltenbach 1846), Myzodium modestum (Hottes 1926), Myzocallis castanicola Baker 1917, Myzocallis occidentalis Remaudie et Nieto Nafria 1974, Tinocallis platani (Kaltenbach 1843) and Wahlgreniella ossiannilssoni Hille Ris Lambers 1949. M. modestum is very difficult to detect, as it lives hidden in moss. All species are presented with characteristic morphological information of alatae and line drawings

A new species of Erythraeus (Erythraeus) and new records of mites (Acari: Erythraeidae) from Serbia

Erythraeus (Erythraeus) serbicus Sundic, Haitlinger & Hakimitabar sp. n. is described and illustrated based on larvae collected from the host Aphis craccivora (Koch, 1854) in Serbia. Leptus eslamizadehi Saboori, Abrolophus montenegrinus Saboori et al., Charletonia krendowskyi Feider, and Erythraeus (Erythraeus) mariolae Haitlinger are reported for the first time from Serbia