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• Composition and role of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) communities in an organic apple orchard

  57-61

  Rita Földesi

  István Medgyessy

  Views:

  126

  The use of hoverfly (Syrphidae) larvae in biological control is gaining more attention where the damage by their prey, aphids is  significant, especially in agricultural fields and orchards, where they lower the number of aphids. The present study focuses on one hand on faunistics, on the other hand on testing the different available collecting methods for later research. Collecting in an organic apple orchard near Debrecen yielded 525 specimens of Syrphidae mostly by netting but also with white tray traps. Collected species are differentiated according to their feeding (94.1% aphidophagous). The three species found in greatest numbers are Sphaerophoria scripta (Linnaeus, 1758), Melanostoma mellinum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776). The available information on their biology is reviewed and their potential value of hoverflies in biological control is discussed.

• Arrival of invasive pests in our direct environment and control opportunities

  23-26

  György Zsigó

  Views:

  249

  The author refers about the nowadays applied practical plant protection activities against pests occuring on trees, shrubs and turfs of public domains. It is overviewed those insects, diseases and weeds which cause damages and touched also upon disturbing the local residents only and tasks to the plant protection engineer expert to manage them. Among the special features of public domains should be mentioned that the rules are difficult to harmonize according to the legal, public health, and horticulture requirements at the same time. The anti-pesticide attitude of EU and the modest range of pesticides which are applicable on public domains make difficulties in optimal management work. The author draws up proposals how to manage the complex plant protection on public domains.