Sap-Sucking Forest Pests

Abstract

Sap-sucker insects are distinguished by their specialized mouthparts, adapted to penetrate and suck fluids from plant tissues. Many sap-sucking insect species are of major economic importance for forests, forest nurseries, and urban trees, causing plant stress, distortion, shoot stunting, and gall formation, or transmitting plant pathogens. In this chapter, we give an overview of the diversity and biology of sap-sucker insects of forest trees, with an emphasis on the two major groups, aphids, and scale insects. We further present their ecology highlighting their biotic interactions with other organisms. Finally, we discuss sap-sucking forest pests and their management.

Insect Diversity in Pinus sylvestris Forest Stands Damaged by Lymantria monacha

“…Food source competition between sapsuckers and defoliators may lead to the fact that the timing and frequency of their outbreaks differ [ 71 ]. Increased relative abundance of sapsuckers in Foray 76B-treated plots could indicate that trees are still under physiological stress after the disruption of their natural enemies— L. monacha larvae [ 72 ].…”