ASPECTS OF HYMENOPTERA ENTOMOPHAGES ATTRACTION FOR BIOLOGICAL PLANT PROTECTION OF THE AGROCENOSIS
Alla GLADCAIA*, Tudor NASTAS
USM, Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Corresponding author: Gladcaia A.
E-mail address: agladcaia761@gmail.com
Abstract
Field breeding of entomophages is a key element of sustainable agriculture, especially in organic farming. It takes the place of an alternative or supplement to chemical treatments, increasing the environmental friendliness and economic efficiency of cultivation technologies. The aim of our research is to develop a method for using artificial shelters to attract and activate the natural potential of entomophages and pollinators of Hymenoptera insects in an agrocenosis. As a result of testing the design of artificial shelters to attract entomophages from the order Hymenoptera, the maximum number of bee nests (Megachilidae) were found in dark-colored plastic (70,8%) and cardboard (20,8%) cases. In 2024, an invasive species of digging wasps (Sphecidae) - Isodontia mexicana was obtained, identified and described from artificial shelters on the territory of the Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection. The nests of the I. mexicana wasp were located in reed stems with a diameter of 0,7-1,0 cm, in cardboard deltoid white (40%) and dark (60%) artificial shelters. No wasp nests were found in plastic tubes and shelters with a plastic case. Solitary bees preferred to build nests in the pear orchard with the nectariferous plant area agrocenosis (91,7 %). I. mexicana nests were placed only in the apple orchard agrocenosis near the forest belt (100 %). The habitat associated with a multi-species, biodiverse landscape (forest belts, nectar plant areas, suburban areas, agroforests) promotes a large diversity of entomophages and pollinators (Hymenoptera) in the immediate vicinity of fruit crops. Due to the spatial proximity to the plantations, they ensure an early and rapid response of beneficial insects to the development of pest populations and, thus, can ideally prevent a strong spread of pests. The potential for economic use of the obtained Hymenoptera species was determined based on their biological characteristics: the ability of bees and wasps to populate anthropogenic cavities of suitable sizes and the wide polytrophism of species allow us to consider solitary bees (Megachilidae) and the invasive species of digging wasps (Sphecidae) – I. mexicana, as very promising species for field breeding in artificial shelters in order to increase the economic efficiency of agroecosystems. It is especially worth noting that I. mexicana is a promising species for biological plant protection, since it paralyzes its prey – Orthoptera pests: Gryllidae and Tettigoniidae, and places them in the nest to feed its larvae. As the population of I. mexicana increases, the most likely effect may be that the wasp will control locust pests of agricultural crops in the Republic of Moldova.