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Black Olive Scale

 

Saissetia oleae (Olivier) -- Hemiptera:  Coccidae

 

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       Black olive scale is a periodic pest of citrus in southern California and a consistent pest of olives in the San Joaquin Valley.  It was introduced into the United States and California sometime before 1880.  It now occurs in many regions of the world and infests a wide range of plants. Black olive scale is thought to be native to Africa.  Until its natural enemy Metaphycus helvolus was introduced from South Africa (1937), black scale was a severe pest of citrus in southern California.  Although widely established, this natural enemy does not suppress black scale on a consistent basis.  This is mainly a pest of citrus in coastal and inland southern California and of olives in the San Joaquin Valley.  It occurs at low levels on citrus in the San Joaquin Valley but is rarely an economic problem.  I n the lower elevation deserts where biological control is not always effective, black scale is occasionally treated with insecticide.

 

       In the coastal valleys of southern California, black scale has a single annual generation, whereas in coastal southern California, it has two generations a year.  On olives in the San Joaquin Valley, black scale has a single annual generation but does not infest citrus in this area.  Black scale infests leaves when it is young but moves to the young branches when older.  It sucks the sap from leaves and branches and produces a sugary exudate that drips onto leaves and fruit.  At moderate scale densities, scale exudate supports fungal growth (sooty mold) which downgrades fruit in the packinghouse.  At higher densities, scale populations decrease fruit size and substantially decrease fruit production the following season.

 

       Dr, Mark Hoddle of the University of California reported that citrus is one of the 10 most important agricultural crops in California, with an annual value of $700-$900 million.  The San Joaquin Valley produces about 65% of the citrus grown in the state. This percentage will increase as more of the citrus in the inland coastal valleys is eliminated with encroaching  urbanization.  Olives are an important California-grown crop, and black scale is a major pest on this commodity too.  Control can usually be achieved with insecticide treatments.

 

REFERENCES:                                                                                                 FURTHER RELATED REFERENCES

 

Annecke, D. P. & M. J. Mynhardt.  1972.  The species of the insidiosus group of Metaphycus Mercet in South Africa with notes on some extralimital species (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae).  Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 85:  227-74.

 

Argov, Y. & Y. Rössler.  1988.  Introduction of berneficial insects into Israel for the control of insect pests.  Phytoparasitica 16:  303-15.

 

Argyriou, L. C.  1963.  Studies on the morphology and biology of the black scale [Saissetia oleae (Bernard)] in Greece.  Ann. Inst. Phytopath. Benaki, N.S. 5:  353-77.

 

Argyriou, L. C.  1984.  Present status of parasite complex in olive groves in Greece, p. 177-78.  In:  R. Vavalloro & A. Piavaux (eds.), C.E C. Programme on Integrated and Biological Control. Final Report 1979/83.  Comm. European Comm., Directorat, Luxembourg.

 

Argyriou, L. C. & P. DeBach.  1968.  The establishment of Metaphycus helvolus (Compere) (Hym. Encyrtidae) on Saissetia oleae (Bern) (Hom. Coccidae) in olive groves in Greece.  Entomophaga 13:  223-28.

 

Bartlett, B. R.  1963.  The contact toxicity of some pesticide residues to hymenopterous parasites and coccinellid predators.  J. Econ. Ent. 56:  694-98.

 

Bartlett, B. R.  1969.  The biological control campaigns against soft scales and mealybugs on citrus in California.  Proc. 1st Intern. Citrus Symp., Riverside, Calif. 2:  875-78.

 

Bartlett, B. R.  1978.  Coccidae.  In:  C. P. Clausen (ed.), Introduced Parasites and Predators of Arthropod Pests and Weeds.  U. S. Dept. Agric. Agric. Handbk. No. 480, Washington, D.C.  545 p.

 

Bartlett, B. R. & R. A. Medved.  1966.  The biology and effectiveness of Diversinervus elegans (Encyrtidae: Hymenoptera), an imported parasites of lecaniine scale insects in California.  Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 59:   974-76.

 

Beingolea, G. O.  1956.  Estatus actual de la plaga de la quereza negra del olivo (Saissetia oleae Bern.) en los valles de Yauca e Ilo.  Bol. Trimest.  Extp. Agropecuarias (1955) 4:  18-22.

 

Bellows, T. S., Jr. & J. G. Morse.  1988.  Residual toxicity following dilute or low-volume applications of insecticides used for control of California red scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) to four beneficial species in a citrus agroecosystem.  J. Econ. Ent. 81:  892-98.

 

Blumberg, D. & E. Swirski.  1982.  Comparative studies of the development of two species of Metaphycus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), introduced into Israel for the control of the Mediterranean black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Homoptera: Coccidae).  Acta Oecol. Oecol. Appl. 3:  281-86.

 

Blumberg, D. & E. Swirski.  1988.  Colonization of Metaphycus spp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) for control of the Mediterranean black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Homoptera: Coccidae), in Israel, p. 1209-13.  In:  R. Gore & K. Mendel (eds.), Proc. 6th Internatl. Citrus Cong., Tel-Aviv, Israel, Mar. 6-11, 1988.  Balaban Publ., Philadelphia.

 

Bou…ek, Z.  1988.  Australasian Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera): a biosystematic revision of genera of fourteen families with a reclassification of species.  C.A.B. Internatl., Oxon.  p. 351.

 

Byron, Morgan A.; Gillett-Kaufman, Jennifer L.  2018.  Black scale. Featured Creatures.  University of Florida. 27 April 2020.

 

Caballero, C. F.  1951.  Notas biológicas y económicas sobre la conchuela negra (Saissetia oleae).  Agric. Tec. (Santiago, Chile) 11:  54-63.

 

Clausen, C. P.  1956.  Biological Control of Insect Pests in the Continental United States.  U. S. Dept. Agric. Tech. Bull. No. 1139:  151 p.

 

Compere, H.  1939.  The insect enemies of the black scale, Saissetia oleae (Bern.) in South America.  Calif. Univ. Publ. Ent. 7:  75-90.

 

Compere, H.  1940.  Parasites of the black scale, Saissetia oleae (Bernard), in Africa.  Hilgardia 13:  387-425.

 

Coulsen, J. R., A. Carrell & D. L. Vincent.  1988.  Releases of beneficial organisms in the United States and territories,  1981.  U.S. Dept. Agr. Agr. Res. Serv. Misc. Publ. 1464.

 

Daane, K. M. & L. E. Caltagirone.  1989.  Biological control of black scale in olives.  California Agriculture 1989:  9-11.

 

DeBach, P.  1943.  The importance of host feeding by adult parasites in the reduction of host populations.  J. Econ. Ent. 36:  647-58.

 

DeLotto, G.  1976.  On the black scales of southern Europe (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae).  J. Ent. Soc. So. Africa 39:  147-49.

 

Duran, M.  1944.  Un enemigo natural de la Saissetia oleae (Bern.) nuevo para Chile.  Agr. Tec. 4:  255-56.  Lamport Gilbert & Co., Ltd., Reading, England.  102 p.

 

Ebeling, W.  1959.  Subtropical Fruit Pests.  Univ. Calif. Div. Agr. Sci.  436 p.

 

Essig, E. O.  1931.  A History of Entomology.  The Macmillan Co., New York.  1029 p.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1939.  A black scale parasite with promising qualities.  J. Econ. Ent. 32:  152.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1942.  Metaphycus helvolus, an encyrtid parasite of the black scale.  J. Econ. Ent. 35:  690-98.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1943a.  Indirect hyperparasitization and observations on three species of indirect hyperparasites.  J. Econ. Ent. 36:  921-26.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1943b.  The Argentine ant versus the parasites of the black scale.  Calif. Citrograph 28:  117, 128, 137.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1953.  Variations in susceptibility of citrus-infesting coccids to parasitization.  J. Econ. Ent. 46:  266-69.

 

Flanders, S. E.  1958.  Moranila californica as a usurped parasite of Saissetia oleae.  J. Econ. Ent. 51:  247-48.

 

Gill, Raymond J.   1997.   Soft Scale Insects their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control.  World Crop Pests. 11 October 2020.

 

Gonzalez, R.  1969.  Biological control of citrus pests in Chile.  Proc. 1st Intern. Citrus Symposium Riverside, California 2:  839-47.

 

Gonzalez, R. H. & S. P. Rojas.  1966.  Estudio analítico del control biológico de plagas agrícolas en Chile.  Agric. Tech. 26:  133-47.

 

Graebner, L., D. S. Moreno & J. L. Baritelle.  1984.  The Fillmore Citrus Protective District:  A success story in integrated pest management.  Bull. Ent. Soc. Amer. 30:  27-33.

 

Graf Marin, A. & R. Cortes Peña.  1939.  The introduction of parasites into Chile against insect pests:  a summary of the importations and their results.  Proc. 6th Pac. Sci. Congr. 4:  351-57.

 

Greathead, D. J.  1976.  A review of biological control in western and southern Europe.  Tech. Comm. No. 7, CIBC.  Commonw. Agr. Bureau, Farnham Royal, Slough, England.  182 p.

 

Ibrahim, A. G. & M. J. W. Copland.  1987.  Effects of temperature on the reproduction of Saissetia coffeae and its parasitoids.  Insect Sci. Appl. 8:  351-53.

 

Kennett, C. E.  1980.  Occurrence of Metaphycus bartletti Annecke & Mynhardt, a South African parasite of black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) in central and northern California (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae; Homoptra: Coccidae).  Pan-Pacific Ent. 62:  363-69.

 

Kennett, C. E.  1986.  A survey of the parasitoid complex attacking black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier), in central and northern California (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea; Homoptera: Coccidae).  Pan-Pacific Ent. 62:  363-69.

 

Kennett, C. E., J. A. McMurtry & J. W. Beardsley.  1999.  Biological control in subtropical and tropical crops.  In:  Bellows, T. S. & T. W. Fisher (eds.), Handbook of Biological Control:  Principles and Applications.  Academic Press, San Diego & New York.  1046 p

 

Lampson, L. J. & J. G. Morse.  1992.  A survey of black scale, Saissetia oleae [Hom.: Coccidae] parasitoids [Hym.: Chalcidoidea] in southern California.  Entomophaga 37:  373-90.

 

Luck, R. F.  1981.  Parasitic insects introduced as biological control agents for arthropod pests.  Handbook Pest Management in Agric. 2:  125-284.  CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida.

 

Mazzone, P. & S. Viggiani.  1983.  Present status of the parasitoids of Saissetia oleae (Oliv.) in Italy, with preliminary biological data on Prococcophagus varius Silv. and P. saissetiae Ann. & Myn. (Aphelinidae), recently introduced.  Proc. 13th Ital. Cong. Ent. p. 191-96.

 

Mendel, Z., H. Podoler & D. Rosen.  1984.  Population dynamics of the Mediterranean black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier), on citrus in Israel. 4. The natural enemies.  J. Ent. Soc. South Africa  47:  1-21.

 

Onillon, J. C., A. Panis & P. Brun.  1984.  Compte rendu des études et travaux menés dans le cadre du programme lutte intégrée en agrumiculture contre les aleurodes et les cochenilles lecanines et pseudococcines, p. 88-101.  In:  R. Cavalloro & A. Piavaux (eds.), C.E.C. Prog. on Integrated and Biological Control: Final Report 1979/1983.

 

Panis, A.  1981a.  Note sur quelques insectes auxiliaires régulateurs des populations de Pseudococcidae et de Coccidae (Homoptera, Coccoidea) des agrumes en Provence orientale.  Fruits 36:  49-52.

 

Panis, A.  1981b.  Action des fourmis sur la biocenose parasitaire de la cochenille noire des agrumes en France (Homoptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae).  Fruits 36:  47-8.

 

Quayle, H. J. & R. W. Rust.  1911.  The black scale.  Univ. Calif. Publ., Ent. Bull. 223:  151-200.

 

Rivnay, E.  1968.  Biological control of pests in Israel (a review 1905-1965).  Israel J. Entomology 3:  1-156.

 

Smith, H. S.  1921.  Biological control of the black scale in California.  Bull. Calif. Dept. Agric. 10:  127-37.

 

Smith, H. S. & H. Compere.  1928.  A preliminary report on the insect parasites of the black scale, Saissetia oleae (Bernard).  Univ. Calif. Publ. Ent. 4:  231-334.

 

Smith, R. H.  1944.  Bionomics and control of the nigra scale, Saissetia nigra.  Hilgardia 16:  225-88.

 

Timberlake, P. H.  1916.  Revision of the parasitic hymenopterous insects of the genus Aphycus Mayr, with notice of some related genera.  Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 50:  561-640.

 

van den Bosch, R., B. R. Bartlett & S. E. Flanders.  1955.  A search for natural enemies of lecaniine scale insects in northern Africa for introduction into California.  J. Econ. Ent. 48:  53-5.

 

Viggiani, G. & P. Mazzone.  1980.  Metaphycus bartletti Annecke et Mynhardt (1972) (Hym., Encyrtidae), nuovo parassita introdotto in Italia per la lotta biologica alla Saissetia oleae (Oliv.).  Boll. Lab. Ent. Agrar. Filippo Silvestri, Portici 37:  171-76.

 

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Wille, J. E.  1952.  Entomológica agrícola del Peru.  Ed. 2.  (Peru)  Min. de Agr. Junta Sanid. Veg.  544 p.

 

Wille, J. E.  1958.  El control biológico de los insectos agrícolas en el Peru.  10th Intern. Cong. Ent. Proc. (1956) 4:  519-23.

 

Wilson, F.  1960.  A review of the biological control of insects and weeds in Australia and Australian New Guinea.  Tech. Commun. No. 1, CIBC. Commonw. Agric. Bur., Farnham Royal, Slough, England.  102 p.

 

Wysoki, M.  1979.  Introductions of beneficial insects into Israel by the Institute of Plant Protection Quarantine Laboratory, ARO, during 1971-78.  Phytoparasitica 7:  101-06.

 

 

FURTHER RELATED REFERENCES:

 

Chiappini, E., S. V. Triapitzin & A. Donev.  1996.  Key to the Holarctic species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) with a review of the Nearctic and Palaearctic (other than European) species and descriptions of new taxa.  Journal of Natural History 30:  551-595.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1995a.  The identities of Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) egg parasitoid of the grape and blackberry leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in California.  Pan-Pacific Entomol. 71 (4):  250-251.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1995b.  A review of the Australian species of Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae).  Russian Entomological Journal 4 (1-4):  105-108.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1997.  The genus Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in America south of the United States: a review.  Ceiba (Zamorano, Honduras) 38 (1):  1-12.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1998.  Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) egg parasitoids of Erythroneura spp. and other leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in North American vineyards and orchards: a taxonomic review.  Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 124 (2):  77-112.

 

Triapitzin, S. V. & D. Strong.  1995.  A new Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Prokelisia spp. (Homoptera: Delphacidae).  Pan-Pacific Entomol. 71 (4):  199-203.

 

Triapitzin, S. V., R. F. Mizell III,  J. L. Bossart & C. E. Carlton.  1998.  Egg parasitoids of Homalodisca coagulata (Homoptera: Cicadellidae).  Florida Entomologist 81 (2):  241-243.

 

Walker, G. P., N. Zareh, I. M. Bayoun & S. V. Triapitzin.  1997.  Introduction of western Asian egg parasitoids into California for biological control of beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus.  Pan-Pacific Entomologist 73 (4):  236-242.