Glavendekić & Mihajlović: Exposure of noctuid and geometrid development stages in oak forests EXPOSURE OF NOCTUID AND GEOMETRID DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN OAK FORESTS Milka M. Glavendekić, Ljubodrag S. Mihajlović Faculty of Forestry University of Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia (e-mail:
[email protected]) Abstract The research was carried out in the period 1985-2005 in oak forests in Serbia. During the research of winter moths in oak forests of Serbia we recorded 9 outbreaking winter moth species: Colotois pennaria L., Agriopis aurantiaria Hbn., Erannis defoliaria Cl., Alsophila aescularia D.& Sch., A. aceraria D.& Sch., Operophtera brumata L., Apocheima pilosaria D.& Sch., Agriopis leucophaearia D.& Sch., A. marginaria F. The most significant noctuids are Orthosia spp. There are 38 parasitoids of the winter moths recorded and they fall into the families Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Eulophidae, Torymidae, Trichogrammatidae, Scelionidae and Tachinidae. Egg parasitoids were recorded at 3 localities: Brankovac, Mala Moštanica and wide area of National Park Djerdap. Hyperparasitoids of winter moths in Serbia have also been studied. We recorded altogether 12 species of winter moth hyperparasitoids. The method of exposure was applied in egg and larva stages. While total parasitism in the natural population varies between 12.50-28.57 %, in the exposed conditions there were between 27.31-43.75 % parasitized caterpillars were recorded. The method of host exposure could be suitable for the local increase of abundance of parasitoids of winter moth eggs, larvae and pupae. Keywords: Defoliators, oak, Geometridae, Noctuidae 1. Introduction In Serbia forests cover about 2,313,000 ha, or 26.2 % of the whole territory.