none A bio-ethological study was carried out on Gorthyna xanthenes Germ. from 1982-1984. The results show that even in Sicily the noctuid has one generation a year. In the field the first adults emerge in the second week of October and the first oviposition are found about one week after emerging. Hatching takes about a month. The larval stage lasts from the second half on January to the third week of September; the pupal stage lasts a little over a month. The most damaged parts of artichokes were the leaves, stalks and roots. During the trials Gortyna larvae were observed parasitized by both an unidentified tachinid fly and one of the following braconids: Bracon ecrocafus, B. hemiflavus, B. maculiger, B. variator and Pseudovipio castrator F.