Determination of Ichneumonidae and Braconidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidea) Species Using DNA Barcoding in Alfalfa Fields Around Van, Türkiye

Nowadays, DNA barcoding has become a powerful tool for rapid and accurate species identification, especially due to the limited number of expert taxonomists, difficulties in distinguishing very similar species, and difficulties in identifying preadult stages of species. In this study, species identification of Ichneumonidea species found in alfalfa fields in Van Province (Türkiye) and its surroundings was determined using DNA barcoding technique. Most of the Ichneumonidea are known as parasitoids of other arthropods and generally on holometabolous insects, primarily targeting insect larvae. Since they are used as natural enemies of harmful insects and have an important role in biological control, detailed studies have been conducted on this group and continue. Due to the limited use of pesticides, alfalfa fields in Van Province and its surroundings, where insect diversity is preserved, were selected as the study area to investigate Ichneumonidea species. The study was conducted in eight different districts of Van province, namely the Merkez, Ipekyolu, and Tuşba districts, Erciş, Muradiye, Özalp, Gürpınar, Edremit, and Başkale districts, where alfalfa is produced the most. Samples were collected between May and August, DNA sequences were extracted from the collected samples, and the sequences were compared with the species in NCBI, and high sequence similarities were observed. As a result of the study, two Braconidae and seven Ichneumonidae species were identified. Molecular identifications of Aleiodes similis (Curtis, 1834) (99.61%), Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson, 1887) (98.14%), Enizemum ornatum (Gravenhorst, 1829) (99.80%), and Syrphoctonus elegans (Gravenhorst, 1829) (99.24%) were confirmed with high similarity rates and became the first record for Van province.