Native parasitoids associated with Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu in Portugal: main species and parasitism rates

Abstract

The chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) is native to China and, in Portugal, it was detected for the first time in 2014 in the Entre-Douro-e-Minho region. It invaded very rapidly Beira Interior and Litoral and, lately, Trás-os-Montes regions. Currently, the most effective management tactic used to control this pest is the release of the parasitoid Torymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera: Torymidae). Knowledge on the diversity of native parasitoids, as well as on their impact as biological control agents of chestnut gall wasp is essential to potentiate the control of this pest.  Therefore, the aim of this work was to identify the species of native parasitoids associated with D. kuriphilus and to evaluate their rate of parasitism.