Biodiversity of syrphid fly (order Diptera, Family Syrphidae) in Hamelmalo Agriculture College, State of Eritrea

Abstract

The syrphid flies are large and diverse group of insects and the larvae of the most of the species are predator of aphids and used as biological control aphids. Adults of syrphid flies are important pollinators of flowering plants. The study was conducted to determine the population dynamics of syrphid flies in HAC agricultural farm Karen, Eritrea and their identification of the flies were done which are found during the study period. The larvae were collected from the Horticultural, plant protection and Agronomy fields at weekly interval starting October 2018 up to March 2019. The samples were placed in glass jar containing aphid colony till the pupation of larvae. After emergence of the adult were identified and kept in collection box. During the period of six months study, total about 387 of adults were recorded. The larval population of syrphid flies varied in different monthly, the highest abundance was recorded in October 2018 while lowest in the months of January and February of 2019. The Pearson’s correlation results revealed that, there was strong, positive/negative and no significance correlation with varying temperature were recorded. Moreover, relative humidity was negatively correlated with syrphid fly population and found non significant.