Campylomma verbasci ( Meyer-Duer , 1843)

Jerinic-Prodanovic, Dusanka & Protic, Ljiljana, 2013, True bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) as psyllid predators (Hemiptera, Psylloidea), ZooKeys 319, pp. 169-189 : 176-177

9) Campylomma verbasci ( Meyer-Duer, 1843)

Trophic status.

Zoophytophagous.

Distribution.

Holarctic.

Preys.

Cacopsylla bidens , from Pyrus communis , Ilinci, 24.V.2008, reared 1♂ 'ex larva' 29.V.2008; Bavanište, 25.V.2006, reared 1♂, 1♀ 'ex larva' 30.V.2006. Cacopsylla pyri , Cacopsylla pyricola and Cacopsylla pyrisuga , from Pyrus communis , Bavanište, 25.V.2006, 1♂, 1♀ 'ex larva' 30.V. 2006. Cacopsylla melanoneura , from Malus domestica , Ilinci, 2.V.2010, reared 2♂♂.

Campylomma verbasci is a zoophytophagous species preying on apple aphids, pear psyllids, codling moth, thrips and mites ( Wheeler 2000b). Its most common prey among insects are Aphis pomi and Cacopsylla mali , and among mites Panonychus ulmi and Tetranychus urticae ( Hagen et al. 1999, Wheeler 2000b, Bradley 2007).

However, if there is a lack of prey, it can feed on apple fruits, rarely pear, causing the harm to their aesthetic value. Therefore, Campylomma verbasci is a significant fruit pest in Canada ( Hagen et al. 1999, Wheeler 2000a, Bradley 2007). Erler (2004) reported the presence of Campylomma verbasci as a predator of Cacopsylla pyrisuga in treated and untreated pear orchards in Turkey, and Harizanova et al. (2012) mentioned it on Acizzia jamatonica in Bulgaria.

Already known in Serbia ( Protić 1993) but in our investigations registered for the first time as a predator of psyllids in this country.