ESKİŞEHİR’DE AT KESTANESİ (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) AĞAÇLARINDA BESLENEN Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)’NIN HASARINA İLİŞKİN GÖZLEMLER

This paper gives insights into the behavior of Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) at a regional scale on the basis of observations conducted in Eskişehir, Turkiye, from 2023–2024. Horse-chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) were randomly selected and the mined leaves were collected to determine the extent of the damage. Among the inspected locations, the infestation was observed only on the trees in Eskişehir Forest Nursery, while others were pest free. This could be due to (1) C. ohridella not having had time to reach other regions, (2) the establishment of the pest being inhibited by various biological and environmental factors, and (3) the role of leaf litter in the spread of C. ohridella in these areas. The results emphasize the importance of removing fallen leaves as a control measure to minimize the damage caused by C. ohridella. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of C. ohridella in Anatolia.