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ŠUMARSKI LIST 9-10/1966 str. 17     <-- 17 -->        PDF

MONIMA INCERTA HUFN. (NOCTUIDAE, LEPIDOPTERA)
A NEW INSECT PEST OF POPLARS


Summary


In the spring of 1963 caterpillars of Monima incerta Hufn. jointly with caterpillars
of Himera pennaria L. (Geometridae, Lepidoptera) appeared in overpopulation
causing complete defoliation on 12 ha. of a Poplar plantation called »Vijuš« near
SI. Brod, Croatia.


Monima incerta Hufn. is a very polyphagous insect. Many forest and fruit tree
species and herbaceous plants were reported hosts of this insects, but no mass outbreak
has occurred in Yugoslavia to date.


After a brief morphological description the author presents some more important
data on the life cycle and habits of this insect. It has been found that Monima incerta
Hufn. produces one generation a year in this country. The moths fly from mid-March
to late April, visiting frequently Willow catkins in the evening. Females deposit their
eggs on twigs near the buds. Caterpillars leave the eggs at a time when the trees are
flushing and they begin to feed on leaves. The larval stage lasts about two months,
and full-grown caterpillars enter the ground, where pupation occurs. Their pupae
hibernate there.


During the outbreak in the plantation of »Vijuš« a great number of predators
and parasites were observed, such as Calosoma sycophanta L. and C. inquisitor L.
(Carabidae), the well-known predators of the gipsy moth, and in addition, and hymenopterous
parasite Cryptus laborator Thunb. (Ichneumonidae) was found. The
activity of these natural enemies of Monima incerta Hufn. was so effective that there
was no outbreak the following year.


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