Natural enemies of Diaspis echinocacti in Greece and first records of Aphytis debachi and Plagiomerus diaspidis

Abstract

Two hymenopteran parasitoids of the cactus scale Diaspis echinocacti (Bouché) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) are recorded in Greece. Aphytis debachi Azim, 1963 (Aphelinidae) is first recorded for Europe and Plagiomerus diaspidis Crawford, 1910 (Encyrtidae) is first recorded for Greece. Preliminary data on phenology and natural enemies of the scale D. echinocacti on O. ficus-indica are presented. Parasitism of D. echinocacti by P. diaspidis reached 86% in southern Greece (Kalamata) and parasitism by A.debachi reached 9.3% and 12% in Kalamata and Athens, respectively. Two predators, Cybocephalus fodori Endrödy-Youga (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and a mite species (Prostigmata: Bdellidae), were found to be associated with D. echinocacti.

Scale insect species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) and their natural enemies, recorded on agricultural, ornamental and forest plant species in the wider area of Messenian Province (Peloponnese, Greece), 2000 – 2020

“…The predator C. fodori was found to be very ac-tive as the predated scales reached 90% of the population in June 2009 in Kalamata. This is the fi rst record of A. debachi in Europe and the fi rst record of P. diaspidilis in Greece (Japoshvili et al, 2010).…”

“…Its parasitization rate reached 9.3% in March 2009. Both sexes of the parasitoid were recorded, which support the biparental status of the species (Japoshvili et al, 2010) whereas only female adults were obtained in Hong Kong (Rosen and DeBach, 1979). Plagiomerus diaspidis parasitized second instar nymphs.…”

“…First reports of parasitoids of the scale species include: Aphytis debachi found on D. echinocacti is the fi rst record of this ectoparasistoid in Europe; Plagiomerus diaspidilis in Kalamata is the fi rst report of this ectoparasitoid in Greece (Japoshvili et al, 2010).…”

“…(Cactaceae) (Fig. 4) and examination on its populations were made in nature and in laboratory, from February to June 2009 (Japoshvili et al, 2010). Diaspis echinocacti was found to be biparental and oviparous.…”

“…Natural enemies of D. echinocacti recorded in Kalamata include the ectoparasitoid Aphytis debachi Azim (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), the endoparasitoid Plagiomerus diaspidis Crawford (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), the predator Cybocephalus fodori Endrödy-Youga (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae) and small numbers of individuals of an unidentifi ed predatory mite of the family Bdellidae (Prostigmata) (Japoshvili et al, 2010). Aphytis debachi parasitized second instar nymphs and preovipositing females of the scale.…”