Seasonal Fluctuations of the Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris rapae (L.) and its Natural Enemies on Cabbage in Middle Egypt

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Naser fields in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt in the growing seasons 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 to study the population fluctuations of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae (L.) and its associated parasitoid and predatory species in cabbage plantations. P. rapae has from three to four generations per season on cabbage. Five primary parasitoid species; Trichogramma buesi V., Cotesia glomerata (L.), Hyposoter ebeninus Grav., Brachymeria femorata Panz and Pteromalus puparum L. were found parasitizing on the developmental stages of this pest. The predator Chrysoperla carnea Stephens, was recorded. Combined effect of three weather factors on the population density of P. rapae was studied.