Can Insectary Plants Enhance the Presence of Natural Enemies of the Green Peach Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Mediterranean Peach Orchards?

Abstract Conservation biological control could be an alternative to insecticides for the management of aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer). To develop sustainable strategies M. in peach orchards Mediterranean, a 2-yr field experiment was conducted identify key predators aphid; determine whether proximity insectary plants boost natural enemies comparison resident vegetation; and selected enhance enemy populations margins orchards. Aphidoletes aphidimyza Rondani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Episyrphus balteatus De Geer Syrphidae) were most abundant found among sentinel colonies, accounting 57% 26%, respectively. Samplings during 2015 yielded twice as many hoverflies close those vegetation. The abundance other plants, depending on their not significantly different either 2 yr. Hoverflies hovered more often over than vegetation landed Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv., Moricandia arvensis DC., Sinapis alba L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) Achillea millefollium (Asterales: Compositae). Parasitoids A. millefollium. vicinity improve presence hoverflies, which might benefit persicae.