Bioecology of Orgyia trigotephras (Boisduval, 1829), (Lepidoptera, Lymantriidae) inJebel Abderrahman, Cap Bon (North East of Tunisia)

Abstract: The biology of Orgyia trigotephras and its impact on various species of the Kermesoak bush have been studied in the forest of Jebel Abderrahman (Cap Bon, North-East of Tunisia),after a significant defoliation caused by this insect during 2005. We studied the developmentduration of the larval and pupal stages of this pest on Pistacia lentiscus, one of the main tree ofthe bush, and the density of the egg masses on various bush host plants.