the growing season. Predators, which have maturation feeding on amaranth pollen and
also killed its phytophags, included Staphylinidae, Paratinus femoralis (Erichson
1840), Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836) and Coccinelidae (Adonіa varіegata,
Scymnus frontalіs etc.).
Anthophilic species of the fourth group include Chalcіdoіdea, Sarcophagidae and
Tachinidae, as well as hymenopterous bees (Halictus, Andrena) [11] and flies
(Syrphidae), with the dominance of Eristalinus aeneus (Scopoli, 1763), Eristalis
arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758), Sphaerophoria scripta (Linnaeus, 1758).
CONCLUSION
Entomofauna of cultivated amaranth is rich, diverse and represented with three
trophical groups: phytophagous, saprophagous and zoophagous. In all regions of
amaranth growing the phytophags are investigated best of all, especially the pests.
The group of phytophagous, part of which has economical significance, was
formed due to species that are trophically associated with wild species of the family
Amaranthacea and polyphagous species. Species composition of phytophags is richer
in the natural area of amaranth, than in the area of its introduction.
In all regions of amaranth growing its pests can be divided on pests of leaves,
stalks, seeds and roots.
Intra-stalk pests are everywhere the most injurious, at that in the regions of
amaranth introduction the native species begin to damage its stalks, thus learn a new
for themselves fodder plant and replace the species of the native region. Among stalk
pests the most spread are weevils and noctuids. In some regions beside these insects,
the larvae of mining flies, Mordellidae, longhorn beetles, as well as Crambidae
caterpillars develop in amaranth stalks.
In the countries of Central and Southern America, in Africa and India essential
role belongs to foliage browsing insects, first of all caterpillars of polyphagous
noctuids, while in Europe amaranth foliage is slightly damaged by such insects.
Amaranth roots are damaged by polyphagous Scarabaeidae and Noctuidae.
Sucking insects, which damage grain and leaves of amaranth, are represented with
Miridae, Coreidae, Aphidoidea, Thysanoptera, Cicadellidae.
Amaranth has a rich fauna of predators, parasitoids, as well as insects that visit
plants during flowering to collect pollen.
With the expansion of the territory of amaranth growing, an increase the history
of amaranth growing, there is an increase in the species composition of insects,
including economically significant pests.
As in other regions of amaranth cultivation, in the eastern Forest-steppe of
Ukraine, the entomofauna of amaranth is represented by over 200 species of insects, it
is diverse taxonomically and trophically.
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