Beneficial Insect Species Identified in Almond Production Areas in Elazığ and Malatya Provinces

Abstract

This study was conducted in almond orchards located in the Yeşilyurt, Battalgazi, and Hekimhan districts of Malatya province and the Baskil and Ağın districts of Elazığ province between 2021 and 2022. The aim of the study was to identify beneficial insect species present in almond production areas. Sampling was carried out weekly from March to October. The beating method was employed for the collection of beneficial species. In this method, a stick with a plastic pipe piece was used to strike three times on four different branches from each of 10 randomly selected almond trees, causing the insects on them to fall into a Japanese umbrella. As a result of the sampling, 31 beneficial insect species from 17 families and 5 orders were identified. The order Hymenoptera was represented by the highest number of species (14 species from 10 families), followed by Coleoptera (11 species from 1 family), Hemiptera (5 species from 4 families), and Diptera (4 species from 1 family). The order Neuroptera had the lowest number of species, with only 1 species from 1 family. In conclusion, it is suggested that chemical control practices should consider the economic injury thresholds of pest species, that pest management should be planned with an integrated pest management approach, and that further detailed studies are needed on the efficacy of the natural enemies of key pest species.