A Study on the Lijiang Spruce Seed Chalcid

The seed chalcid (Megastigmus likiangensis Roques et Sun) is a serious pest of spruce trees in Yunnan, especially in the artificial Plantations of the province. Four species of the genus Megastigmus in phytophagous group have been reported from Yunnan Province. They are known as seed chalcids infesting mainly cypress and also spruce and Juniper. The species studied was first discovered in a Picea likiangensis plantation of Lijiang County in 1993. The larvae feed on spruce seeds. The morphological characteristics of the pest are described. The biological characteristics of this seed chalcid are closely studied to provide a reference for the management measures of the pest. Preliminary pest management strategy and tactics are suggested in the text. They have been implemented in recent years at some heavily infested spruce stands with promising results.