Ecological dynamics of true bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Acanthosomatidae, and Coreidae) and associated egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera) in an Alpine region of Italy

Martina Falagiarda; Francesco Tortorici; Sara Bortolini; Martina Melchiori; Manfred Wolf; Luciana Tavella

doi:10.1017/S0007485325100412

Ecological dynamics of true bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Acanthosomatidae, and Coreidae) and associated egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera) in an Alpine region of Italy

Martina Falagiarda, Francesco Tortorici, Sara Bortolini, Martina Melchiori, Manfred Wolf Luciana Tavella

Bulletin of Entomological Research, Vol.115(6), pp.1-14

2025

: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485325100412

https://hdl.handle.net/10863/51999

: 40910669

Altitude

Animals

Biodiversity

Ecosystem

Heteroptera - parasitology

Heteroptera - physiology

Host-Parasite Interactions

Hymenoptera - physiology

Ovum - parasitology

Wasps - physiology

Italy

True bugs (Hemiptera: Acanthosomatidae, Coreidae, and Pentatomidae) include harmful crop pests affecting global agriculture, with different species displaying distinct optimal conditions for development and using different habitats. Over a 2-year period, this research investigates how habitat variation and altitude can influence the species composition of true bugs and their egg parasitoids in South Tyrol (North Italy), unveiling different trends in their population and diversity across habitats: apple orchards, urban areas, and forests. A total of 25 true bug species were sampled. Urban environments hosted the highest bug abundance, predominantly driven by the invasive , while forests showed a higher prevalence of native species such as and . Altitude significantly influenced species composition, with and abundance negatively and positively correlated with altitude, respectively. A total of 12 parasitoid species (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae, and Scelionidae) emerged from the field-collected bug eggs, including the exotic , predominantly associated with in urban areas. Native parasitoids exhibited higher parasitism rates on native bug species, indicating co-evolutionary relationships. The results give an insight into the ecological dynamics of local true bug species and their egg parasitoids, and highlight the value of natural and urban areas for conserving both hemipteran and parasitoid species richness and abundance.

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url

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485325100412

: Ecological dynamics of true bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Acanthosomatidae, and Coreidae) and associated egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera) in an Alpine region of Italy
: Martina Falagiarda - -, Institute for Plant Health
Francesco Tortorici - University of Turin
Sara Bortolini - -, Institute for Plant Health
Martina Melchiori - -, Institute for Plant Health
Manfred Wolf - -, Institute for Plant Health
Luciana Tavella - University of Turin
: Bulletin of Entomological Research, Vol.115(6), pp.1-14
: 0007-4853
: 1475-2670
: 991007324936001241
: WOS:001564490000001
: 2-s2.0-105015180389
: Institute for Plant Health
: English
: Journal article