A New Record for the Kastamonu Poplar Pest Fauna: Melanophila (Trachypteris) picta decastigma (Fabricius) (Coleoptera, Buprestidae)

Abstract

 Poplar (Populus nigra) is one of the most important fast growing tree species which is widely grown throughout the world and used in various industrial branches. Poplar wood cultivation is a forestry activity carried out in forests and outside of the forest areas and is seen as one of the most effective ways to increase wood production. However, the leaves, shoots, branches, stems and roots of the poplar tree are attacked by various pests, which greatly affect the health of the tree. One of these pests is Melanophila (Trachypteris) picta decastigma (Fabricius). The pest was first discovered in Populus nigra at Golki5y, Kastamonu in 2016. Although this subspecies has been reported in the literature, there has been no scientific record reported in Kastamonu. The adults of this subspecies were examined and information about their taxonomic characteristics were identified. Results revealed that M. p. decastigma has caused intense larval damage on poplar fields in the Kastamonu region.