Survey and population dynamics of scale insects (Hemiptera : Coccoidea)‎ infesting apple trees and thier natural enemies in Egypt

الملخص EN

Apple (Malus domostica Borkhis) one of the most important deciduous fruit trees in Egypt.

Scale insects (Hemiptera : Coccoidea) are the most important pests infested orchard trees including apple .

The present work dealt with the survey of scale insects infested apple trees and their natural enemies in different locations in Egypt as well as population dynamics of the dominant species infested apple of these pests.

The results indicated that 21 species of scale insects were recorded infested apple trees in Egypt.

The dominant species were Hemiberlesia lataniae (Signoret), Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman) , Lepidosaphes pallidula (Williams), Parlatoria oleae (Colvée) ((Hemiptera :Coccoidea: Diaspididae) , Planococcus citri (Risso), Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera :Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) and Russellaspis pustulans pustulans (Cockerell) (Hemiptera :Coccoidea: Asterolecaniidae).

Also, in the present work 19 parasitoids and 2 hyperparasitiods and 33 predators were recorded associated with scale insects infesting apple trees.

The dominant species were, the parasitoids Aphytis chrysomphali (Mercet), Aphytis maculicornis (Masi), Aphytis lepidosaphes Compere, Encarsia citrina (Craw) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Leptomastidea abnormis (Girault) , Metaphycus asterolecanii (Mercet) and Zaplatycerus kemticus (Trjapitzin and Triapitsyn) (Hymenoptera : Encyrtidae) and the predators Chilocorus bipustulatus L.

(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Chrysopa vulgaris L., Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera : Chrysopidae) , Dicrodiplosis manihoti Harris (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) , Exochomus flavipes Thunb.

and Scymnus syriacus Mars.

(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Also, during the present work the populations dynamics of scale insects infested apple trees and their natural enemies were provided as well as the effect of whether factors on scale insects.