Study on the biology and distribution of Long- horned beetles Calchaenesthes pistacivora a new pistachio and wild pistachio pest in Kerman province.

Three species of Long-horned beetlesHesperophanes seriaceus, Macrotoma scutellaris and Trichoferus pressi all belonging to family Cerambicidae have been reported from Iran on the cultivated pistachio ( Pistacia vera) and wild pistachio (Pistacia mutica) trees . Long - horned beetles were found in the pistachio orchards of Sirjan in April, 1999. This insect identified by Holzschuh (Austria) as Calchaenesthes pistacivora n.sp. ( Col.: Cerambicidae: Cerambicina). The biology and distribution of this pest was studied by weekly sampling and using sleeve cages over the pistachio branches, Then one pair of beetles ( Male and Female) was released in the cages during 2000- 2003. Adult's beetles appear in the early April and feed upon pistachio leaves. Eggs are ovoid, 1 mm diameter and two mm length that covered with a kind of rather hard gray material. The female usually laid eggs on the young twigs or on the pruned branches sites. She laid 40- 45 eggs during her life span. The incubation period for eggs lasted two weeks (approximately) in the natural condition. New hatched larvae penetrate inside the branches and make a tunnel there. The tunnel length was about 15 cm (approximately). Larval period takes 16 to 18 month (in the natural condition) and full developed larvae pupated in the base of tunnels. Pupal period takes 45 days (approximately). Adults five to six months inside the tunnels and feed on the little woods. Then they emerge at early April. Therefore, this insect has one generation over two years. The infected branches become dry and so this pest cause heavy damage on pistachio trees. The beetles damages were observed in the wild pistachio (pistacia. mutica) and pistacia khinjuk plantation areas at Siah-Kuh and Kuh- Khajoi ( Sirjan ). Pest distribution were observed in the approximately 1600 hectares of pistachio orchards at the Kheyr Abad, Basferjan, Sharif Abad , Sirjan suburb and pouzey khon area, that 500 ha. Are rather hard infected. Hymenopterans parasitoids Myosoma sp. belonging to family Brachonidae is collected from final instars of larvae.