Overwintering of Coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the Center of Iran

Abstract

Overwintering adult coccinellids were collected underneath the bark of tree trunks of apricot, pomegranate, almond and mulberry in the Mehriz region of Yazd province, Iran, in 2009 to 2012 at elevations 1420-1520 meters. We identified and illustrated the following six species: Adalia bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758): 61 individuals, Exochomus quadripustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758): 7 individuals, Exochomus undulatus Weise, 1878: 26 individuals, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze, 1777): 1 individual, Oenopia conglobata (Linnaeus, 1758): 95 individuals, Scymnus subvillosus (Goeze, 1777): 3 individuals. Coccinellids occasionally overwintered in multispecies groups. Pomegranate was host of most overwintering coccinellids.