Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) on the coconut infructescence

Issue Date

10-2017

Abstract

Reports of scale insects on coconuts are mostly on species that infest leaflets. During surveys on several coconut-planting provinces in the Philippines, scale insects and mealybugs were observed to attack also the fruit and infructescence – the ensemble of fruits derived from the ovaries of an inflorescence (cluster of flowers). Three families of Coccomorpha (or Coccoidea) : five species of Diaspididae, one Pseudococcidae, and one Monophlebidae, were observed and recorded. Three species, Aspidiotus destructor Signoret, A. nerii Bouche and Lepidosaphes sp. were observed to attack the fruit directly. Nippaecoccus nipae (Maskell) and Lepidosaphes sp. shared the calyx whereas A. destructor, Pseudaulacaspis pentogona (Targioni), and Pseudaulacaspis sp. were observed to attack the peduncle. Hemiberlesia lataniae (Signoret), lepidosaphes sp., N. nipae, and Icerya sp. also shared the pedicel. Simultaneous attack by several species on the same plant, in the same place, and at the same time, confounded the damage on coconuts, and implies that extra caution should be taken in relying mainly on unverified, and unmounted specimens for field identification.

Source or Periodical Title

The Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

31

Issue

2

Page

153

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

INFLORESCENCES; COCCOCIDEA; INSECTA; PESTS; PEST OF PLANTS; PEST INSECTS; INFLORESCENCES; FRUIT DAMAGING INSECTS; FLOWER DAMAGING INSECTS, PEST SURVEYS

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