[Ecological and biological study of Paropta paradoxa (H.S.) ( Lepidoptera: Cossidae )in Homs governorate]

The reserche was conducted in grapevine in Mukharram Fokani city , Homs governorate during 2009-2010 seasons. The seasonal flying of Paropta paradoxa. (H.S.) ( Lepidoptera: Cossidae)t started at the beginning of April with the presence of one climax of the flight in August and the last emergence for the full insect was in October. The results of analytical statistics showed positive relation between the flight and temperatures(r=0.81-r=0.64) during the two seasons 2009-2010 respectively. Female butterflies lay eggs under the loose bark mostly , and at the entrance of the old tunnels The female lay up to 250-275eggs in form of groups( 15-25 eggs) under the loose bark according to the field condition .Egg cubation was 29-31 days. The eggs were spherical to oval. The eggs were white to cream after laying with a diameter of 1-1.5 mm but the color changes into pink after 18-24 days after laying and then eggs turn to violet or blue before hatching The insect has six instars of larvae divided into 6 groups as follows : Until 0.5cm,0.5-1.5cm,1.5-2.5cm,2.5-3.5cm,3.5-4,longer than 4cm The larvae in the first second and third instars were under the loose bark but those in the fourth ,fifth and sixth instars were in the wood in tunnels. The larvae have bad odor that show where they exist .They close the entrance of the mine by a mixture of waste product and silk secretion but no larvae dust on the land left .the phase larvae is 1-1.5 years ,the insect spent winter season as a larva in the stem and branches of vine tree,the larvae spin silk web around it self and feed on it when thy get out of hibernation . The larvae pupae when growth is comblete in the mine. Pupae stay for 15-50 days, the duration of pupae differs according to temperatures and field condition . Pupa is movable. It move to the entrance of the tunnel during emergence. The butterfly of Paropta Paradoxa doesn't feed after emrgence .It has tracing parts of mouth . It is a nightly active butterfly. During the day ¡the butterfly is dormany, the legs are folded to the body and the antenna ono the front side parts of the thorax whereas the wings take the form of a pyramid on the body. The male butterflies are more active than the female butterflies . life cycle of this insect need 1-2 years . Th larva of 5th age tend to Predatism the pupa and small larva (first and second age) of larva ., It was also noticed that birds preyed the larvae. the percentage of infection differs of Paropta paradoxa according to the way of tree rearing. It was 66.7% in the raised trees and 100% land trees .and this is accompnid with the severity of infection in the latter type was greater than that in the first type . The average of mines (in the raised trees ) was10.2 mines in a square meter whereas ( in land trees ) was 18.9 mines in a square meter . The infection of Paropta Paradoxa on vine trees start when. 12 years old where the average of infection percentage was 37.4% the infection increase gradually with the increase of the age of the tree reaching 60.1% at age of 15 and 100% at the age of 22. The correlation was positive between the percentage and diameter that it reached 0.98 . The severity of infection of Paropta Paradoxa in the Halwani variety was higher than t in the Bitamoni variety. The average of mines was 41.5 mine / tree in the Halwani and 27.63 mine / tree in Bitamoni .It was also noticed the existence of infection and larvae of early ages under the bark on the main stem on Bitanmoni variety and the infection in Halwani variety was on the top and framework branches . Mines and larvae were rarely seen on the main stem . Aluminium phosphide insecticide showed distinguish competence of control the larvae of Paropta Paradoxa in tunnels, Percentage of killing was 100%, and the effectivity of insecticide Chlorperfose and Deflubenzorone was low control of the larae of Paropta Paradoxa the average of corrected death percentage was (30.68-9.15)% successively. Deflubenzorone insecticide showed good results on eggs Paropta Paradoxa . the average of corrected death percentage was (69.83)%. The percentage of infction went down after peeling the loose bark and painting it with lime and brazier and killing larva manually to 45% aftr first treatment and 55% aftr second treatment.