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LEBBECK MEALYBUG, Nipaecoccus virdis (Maskell) -- Pseudococcidae

[ also called Nipaecoccus vastator (Maskell)]

(Contacts)

In Egypt the lebbeck mealybug was particularly destructive to the lebbeck tree, Albizia lebbeck, although other species of ornamental plants are attacked. During 1933-1939 two encyrtid parasitoids, Anagyrus aegyptiacus Moursi and Leptomastix phenacocci Compere were introduced from Java and established. Parasitization levels soared to 98%, providing complete biological control, so that it was difficult to find the host (Clausen 1978, Dahlsten & Hall 1999). Please also see the following for details of the biological control effort and biologies of host and natural enemies (Willcocks 1910, Kränzlin 1913, Fullaway 1923, Hall 1927, Swezey 1933, Moursi 1948a,b; Zimmerman 1948, Ferris 1950, Kamal 1951).

REFERENCES: [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library ]

Clausen, C. P. 1978 (ed.). Introduced parasites and predators of arthropod pests and weeds: A world review. USDA ARS Agriculture Handbook No. 480. 455 p.

Dahlsten, D. L. & R. W. Hall. 1999. Biological control of insects in outdoor urban environments. In: Bellows, T. S. & T. W. Fisher (eds.), Handbook of Biological Control: Principles and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, New York. 1046 p.

Ferris, G. F. 1950. Atlas of the Scale Insects of North America. V. The Psuedococcidae (Part I). Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, Calif & Geoffrey Cumberlege, Oxford Univ. Press, London. 278 p.

Fullaway, D. T. 1923. Notes on the mealybugs of economic importance in Hawaii. Hawii. Ent. Soc. Proc. 5: 305-21.

Hall, W. J. 1927. The introduction of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Muls. into Egypt. Bull. Ent. Res. 17: 385-92.

Kamal, M. 1951. Biological control projects in Egypt, with a list of introduced parasites and predators. Bull. Soc. Fouad Ier Ent. 35: 205-20.

Kränzlin, D. R. 1913. Die Wollansplage in Daressallam (The mealybug plague in Dar-Es-Sallam). Pflanzer (Dar-es-Salaam) 10: 493-507.

Moursi, A. A. 1948a. Anagyrus aegyptiacus Moursi, a parasite of the Lebbek mealybug, Pseudococcus filamentosus. Bull. Soc. Fouad Ier Ent. 32: 17-32.

Moursi, A. A. 1948b. Leptomastix phenacocci Compere, a parasite of the Lebbek mealybug Pseudococcus filamentosus. Bull. Soc. Fouad Ier Ent. 32: 33-40.

Swezey, O. H. 1933. Biological control of insect pests in Hawaii. 5th Pacific Science Cong. Proc. 5: 3531-36.

Willcocks, F. C. 1910. A mealybug injurious to the Lebbeck trees of Cairo. Bull. Ent. Res. 1: 121-37.

Zimmerman, E. C. 1948. Insect of Hawaii. V. 5. University of Hawaii Press. 464 p.