DISTRIBUTION AND ACTIVITIES OF EURYTOMA-AMYGDALI (HYMENOPTERA, EURYTOMIDAE) WASPS ON ALMOND TREES

We describe the diurnal pattern and location of activities of wild Eur ytoma amygdali Enderlein wasps. Observations were made on almond trees (the sole host species of E. amygdali) in an orchard in northern Gree ce. The upper surface of almond leaves and green fruits were the main sites of wasp activities, and other parts of the host were visited ver y little. Nonhosts around the orchard were not visited at all. Until 1 000 hours, females mainly rested or walked, predominantly on almond le aves. After 1000 hours, most females progressively moved to the fruits . On fruits, females oviposited or moved from one fruit to another by flying or walking, probably in search of suitable oviposition sites. F light was the dominant activity of males and displayed a strong daily periodicity: around zero early in the morning, abruptly increasing to a high frequency between 0900 and 1300 hours, and then progressively d eclining to zero toward the end of the day. Males flew at 5-15 cm from sunlit fruiting branches, displaying an oscillating, up-and-doun flig ht movement of an amplitude of 5-10 cm. Only 1.7% of 1.7% of females a nd males were observed feeding. Feeding occurred after 0800 hours, pre dominantly on leaves and on fruits. Oviposition remained at a high fre quency from 1300 until 1800 hours and lasted until dark.