The genus Dioryctria Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is one of the most important genera of insects in forest entomology. Members of the genus can cause damage to a broad range of conifers, such as Pinus, Picea, Abies, Pseudotsuga, Taxodium, etc. The genus is distributed across all sub-tropical regions in the northern hemisphere including the United States, Mexico and some areas of Japan. The group damages pine trees by feeding on buds, cones meristematic tissues, cambium, and phloem. In Cuba, the genus Dioryctria is represented by the following species: D. horneana Dyar, which is an endemic pest in Cuba, and D. clarioralis Walker, also found in the Southeastern United States. In Mexico ten species have been reported: D. abietivorella Grote, D. albovitella Hulst, D. cibriani Mutuura & Neunzig, D. erytrophasa Dyar, D. majorella Dyar, D. pinicolella Amsel, D. rossi Munroe, D. durangoensis Mutuura & Neunzig, D. martini Mutuura & Neunzig, and D. s. p. near ponderosae group.
Whereas most of the existing information concerning the control of this pest mentions systemic insecticides, a list of 32 natural biological agents will be given. Among those some are stressed hereafter: infection of Dioryctria abietella by Fusarium oxysporum var. orthoceras and by Bergoldiavirus dioryctria, parasitism by Braconids as Apanteles absonus and A. petrovae on D. reniculella and D. auranticella and by Tachinids Spoggosia floridensis (Townsend) on pupae of D. pinicolella.
Key words: coneworm, bionomics, damage, forest pest management, natural enemies.
Correspondence: Ezequiel Echevarria Zamora, Forest Research Institute, Calle 174 No. 1723 e 17B y 17C, Siboney, Playa, La Habana, Cuba