INSECT SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE THISTLE PLANT, Cynara SP. IN EL-GABAL EL-AKHDAR, LIBYA

The present study was conducted to survey the insect species associated with the thistle plant, Cynara sp. at El-Baida area, El-Gabal El-Akhdar, Libya during the period from September 2001 through August 2003. Obtained results revealed the presence of 27 insect species belong to 19 families and seven orders associated with Cynara sp. Order Coleoptera was represented by nine species; Agapanthia anularis L. and A. cardui L. (Family Cerambycidae), Cassida sp. and Phyllotreta sp. (Family Chrysomelidae), Coccinella septempunctata L. and C. novemnotata L. (Family Coccinellidae), Larinus sp. and Lixus sp. (Family Curculionidae) and Potosia morio F. (Family Scarabaeidae). Order Diptera was represented by two species; Acanthiophilus helianthi Rossi and Chaetorellia carthami Stack (Family Tephritidae). Order Hemiptera was represented by three species, Anthocoris sp. (Family Anthocoridae), Spilostethus pandurus Scop. (Family Lygaeidae) and Dolycoris baccarum L. (Family Pentatomidae). Order Homoptera was represented by three species, Aphis compositae Theobald and A. craccivora Koch (Family Aphididae), and Empoasca sp. (Family Cicadellidae). Order Hymenoptera was represented by three species; Andrena sp. and Apis mellifera L. (Family Apidae), and Megachile sp. (Family Megachilidae). Order Lepidoptera was represented by six species; Pieris rapae L. and Colias croceus Fourc. (Family Pieridae), Pyrgus sp. (Family Hesperidae), Vanessa cardui L. (Family Nympalidae), Pyronia sp. (Family Satyridae), and Macroglossa stellatarum L. (Family Sphingidae). Order Thysanoptera was represented by one species, Thrips sp. (Family Thripidae). The results suggest that the species; A. annularis, A. cardui, Larinus sp., Lixus sp., P. morio, A. helianthi and C. carthami can be used as biological control agents for controlling the thistle plant, Cynara sp. at El-Baida area, El-Gabal El-Akhdar, Libya.