Heteroptera (Hemiptera) species visiting Verbascum densiflorum Bertol. in Edirne (Türkiye)

ABSTRACT: This study was performed as weekly field excursions from September 2005 to December 2006 during autumn, winter (except January-March) spring and summer seasons in a field covering an area of 4500 m² in Balkan Campus of Trakya University (Edirne) where a denseflowered Verbascum densiflorum Bertol. (Scrophulariaceae) population existed. Members of different insect orders were collected from V. densiflorum plants and a total of 52 species belonging to 14 families (Rhyparochoromidae 11species, Miridae 8 species, Pentatomidae 8 species, Lygaeidae 4 species, Rhopalidae 4 species, Geocoridae 3 species, Oxycarenidae 3 species, Coreidae, Berytidae, Reduviidae and Tingidae 2 species for each and Scutelleridae, Anthocoridae and Alydidae 1 species for each) within Heteroptera (Hemiptera) were           determined. When the collection times of the species are considered, 13 species were found in summer season during when the specimens were active and feeding and in autumn and winter seasons in their wintering periods, whereas 28 species were found only in autumn-winter and 11 species were found only in summer seasons. 43 of the determined species were phytophagous, 7 were zoophagous, 1 was zoophytophagous and 1 was phytozoophagous.        The presence of Heteroptera species on V. densiflorum was reported for the first time with the present study. In addition, three of the identified species, Aoploscelis bivirgata (A. Costa, 1853), Aphanus rolandri (Linnaeus, 1758), and Ischnocoris hemipterus (Schilling, 1829) were recorded for the first time for the Thrace Region.