NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 9 (2): 264-275 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2013 Article No.: 131205 http://biozoojournals.3x.ro/nwjz/index.html Braconid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on poplars and aspen (Populus spp.) in Serbia and Montenegro Vladimir ŽIKIĆ1,*, Saša S. STANKOVIĆ1, Marijana ILIĆ1 and Nickolas G. KAVALLIERATOS2 1. Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia. 2. Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Department of Entomology & Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute; 8 Stefanou Delta str., 145 61 Kifissia, Attica, Greece. *Corresponding author, V. Žikić, E-mail:
[email protected] Received: 02. February 2012 / Accepted: 20. June 2012 / Available online: 16. February 2013 / Printed: December 2013 Abstract. This is the first report of the trophic associations of Braconidae on pest insects on poplars in Serbia and Montenegro. Fifty-two braconid species from 29 genera, classified into 12 subfamilies are reported. We have recorded 58 hosts, mainly holometabolous insects from Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera, and Hemiptera as a hemimetabolous order, found on 12 poplar taxa. The total number of tritrophic associations is 114. Key words: Braconidae, tritrophic associations, pests, southeastern Europe. Introduction Pannonian lowland that serves to decrease strong wind in that area. In this region of Europe, which As an important group of natural enemies, Braco- encompasses Serbia, Hungary and Romania, vari- nidae represents one of the major groups of para- ous herbivorous or xylophagous insects directly sitoids attacking other insects, usually in their lar- attack leaves, bark or roots of poplar trees, and val stage, but also eggs and adults (e.g.