Pauesia silana Tremblay, 1969: Biological control agent for the Maghreb pine aphid Cinara magherbica Mimeur, 1934 on Pinus halepensis Mill., 1768 in Algeria

The presence of Pauesia silana Tremblay, an aphid parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), has been recorded in Algeria. This parasitoid was found in association with Cinara pini Linnaeus, which infests Pinus nigra Arn. and Pinus halepensis Mill. This study, conducted from 2019 to 2021, aimed to identify the natural enemies of the Maghreb pine aphid, Cinara magherbica Mimeur, in the Aleppo pine forests (Pinus halepensis Mill.) in the Khenchela province. Specimens were collected from mummified aphid colonies, randomly sampled across three forest areas. The study analyzed the correlation between aphid densities and ecological parameters, including mummy counts, parasitism rates, and the number of emerged parasitoids. The results revealed that while the parasitism of P. silana showed a slight increase, there was a concurrent decline in adult emergence. Secondary parasitoid species identified include Asaphes vulgaris Walker, Pachyneuron aphidis BouchĂŠ, and Syrphophagus aphidivorus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae).