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The presence of the South African Obscure Scale, Melanaspis corticosa (Brain) (Hemiptera, Diaspididae), was detected infesting olive trees, in Portugal. The identity of the scale insect was confirmed based on both morphological and molecular studies. Until now, this species was only known in a few African countries, including Guinea, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This is the first record of this species in Europe and in the Palearctic region. The scale was observed in 15 different locations, in the Algarve, since its first detection at the end of 2016. Samples were collected between 21 December 2016 and 10 March 2022, covering all seasonal periods. Most of the sampling sites resulted from private requests from farmers and proprietaries received by the Plant Protection Division of the Regional Directorate of Agriculture. Although it is considered a polyphagous species, it was not observed in other plant species, besides olive trees. The actual dispersion in the region suggests that M. corticosa became established and has been expanded its distribution since its arrival. This scale insect is a potential injurious pest of olive trees and needs to be studied to clarify its pest status and develop effective pest management strategies.

The factors influencing the entry and the spread of the black twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff), in the Mediterranean environment have not yet been characterized. Following its first report in Sicily (southern Italy) in 2016, and due to the high level of damage it causes on one of its host plants (Ceratonia siliqua L.), the flight activity of the pest was studied there. Monitoring was performed from spring 2017 to summer 2018 by exposing red cross‐shaped sticky traps combined with ethanol‐baited bottle traps. The three monitored sites were selected at different altitudes, representing the southern Mediterranean environment where the carob tree is widely present. The results showed that the pest populations are influenced by climatic factors. In particular, the first adults were caught when the maximum daily temperatures were stably higher than 20°C over several continuous days. Xylosandrus compactus occurred widely in the monitored territory and was continuously caught from spring to autumn. Furthermore, the traps used proved to be effective for intercepting the spring flight of the overwintering females. Moreover, the ability of the beetle to spread from a new infested area was also studied. It seems that the pest can spread more than 8 km from the last infested site of the previous flying season. It was not present above altitudes of 400 m in the conditions of the present study. This study represents the first step to better understand the behaviour of X. compactus in a newly colonized environment.

International audience; Ecotoxicological risk assessments of pesticides on non-target arthropods are often carried out under constant and optimal temperature regimes. However, living organisms rarely experience these conditions in real field situations. Understanding the impact of pesticides on non-target beneficial arthropods under temperature stresses is especially important in terms of global warming. We assessed the lethal and sublethal effects of four modern insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, spinosad), on the generalist predatorMacrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae) under a range of temperatures (from 10 to 40 degrees C) frequently experienced in a real field scenario. A reduction coefficient (E-x) was calculated by summarizing the mortality and predator reproductive capacity and, the chemicals were classified according to the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) toxicity classes. The insecticides showed a marked synergistic effect with temperature, as the predator mortality and reproductive outputs were significantly correlated with increasing temperatures. Spinosyns interacted significantly with temperature causing the highest mortality and lowest fertility rates. Anthranilic diamides showed a safer ecotoxicological profile compared to spinosyns, with cyantraniliprole being more harmful than chlorantraniliprole. These results suggest that temperature should be taken into account in pesticide ecotoxicology studies within the framework of integrated pest management and the recent climate changes.

The adult female of a new species of armoured scale insect, Diaspidiotus aetnensis Nucifora, Watson and Mazzeo sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae), is described and illustrated. It was collected in Sicily on the endemic birch, Betula aetnensis Raf. (Betulaceae). We provide supplementary notes on Diaspidiotus alni (Marchal), D. wuenni (Lindinger) and D. lenticularis (Lindinger), and a key to the Diaspidiotus species recorded on Betulaceae worldwide.

Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an invasive generalist predator, which has been used as a biological model to investigate several research questions and is also an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural pests. Its laboratory colonies are often maintained on natural prey that are costly, and thus alternative dietary regimens are required. We studied the influence of four different food regimens on the developmental and reproductive life history traits of H. axyridis, including body size and the population demographic parameters. The tested diet regimes were: Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs, a commercial mix of E. kuehniella and Artemia sp. (Anostraca: Artemiidae) cysts, a liver-based artificial diet, and the natural prey, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The food regimes affected the investigated life parameters of H. axyridis in various ways. Larvae developed successfully and in the shortest time on moth eggs, but for H. axyridis reared on the artificial diet development was not successful. The mixture of moth eggs and brine shrimp cysts supported the rearing of H. axyridis. However our findings suggest its use only when no other suitable feedstuff is available. The life table approach used in this study could improve the standardized comparison among diet regimes, thus optimizing the rearing protocols of the species.

Pest control is easier and more effective when pests are correctly identified. The Black Parlatoria Scale, Parlatoria ziziphi (Lucas, 1853) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) is an important invasive pest in citrus-growing countries. This diaspidid has historically been difficult to control, because its immature stages are difficult to identify due to confusion with similar Parlatoria species. No field descriptions of female or male developmental stages are available for P. ziziphi. We provide the first description of field characteristics of the developmental stages of P. ziziphi. Colonies were reared in the laboratory on sour orange plants and lemon fruits to illustrate the distinctive features of each instar. An illustrated field guide of all life-cycle stages of male and female P. ziziphi is provided for correct species identification and better pest management. This tool is designed to help recognize P. ziziphi in field-scouting programmes or quarantine inspections, without the need for taxonomic expertise in identifying the Parlatoria group.

Among botanical extracts used as insecticides, essential oils (EOs) are promising alternatives to chemical insecticides. EOs are synthesized by plants, and they play a key role in plant signaling processes including also attractiveness toward pollinators and beneficial insects. Plant species producing essential oils (over 17,000 species) are called aromatic plants and are distributed worldwide. Our review aims to evaluate research studies published in the last 15 years concerning the use of EOs in stored product protection. More than 50% of the retrieved manuscripts have been published by authors from Eastern countries (Iran, China, India, and Pakistan), investigating different aspects related to insect pest management (exposure route, effect on the target pest, and mode of action). Coleoptera was the most studied insect order (85.41%) followed by Lepidoptera (11.49%), whereas few studies targeted new emerging pests (e.g., Psocoptera). Almost all the trials were carried out under laboratory conditions, while no experiments were conducted under real operating conditions. Future research studies concerning the use of EOs as insecticides should focus on the development of insecticide formulations which could be successfully applied to different production realities.

Parasitoids can suppress populations of their host and thus play a primary role in Integrated Pest Management. We studied foraging cues in Holepyris sylvanidis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a larval parasitoid of Tribolium species, in a four-chamber olfactometer. H. sylvanidis is reported as a cosmopolitan parasitoid of Coleopteran including two major pests of stored products, the confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum and the red flour beetle T. castaneum. Our study reveals that the host complexes of both Tribolium species and different living host stages attract naive H. sylvanidis females, whereas no reaction was observed to uninfested substrates. Our findings may contribute to the development of biological control strategies of T. castaneum and T. confusum with parasitoids.

The aim of this study was the development of a method to improve the effectiveness of heat treatment (HT) for insect pest control in flour mills by thermal analyses and temperature trend models. Specific attention was paid to surface temperatures of thermal bridges (TBs), which represent HT weakness points because they provide refuge to insects and increase expenditure of electric power due to heat flux loss. Air and TB surface temperatures were monitored in a flour mill during execution of an HT. A first thermal analysis showed that values of indoor air temperatures near TBs were always lower than the computed temperature level that would also guarantee insect mortality on TB surfaces. Since the length of the steady-state air temperature profile was lower than that lethal to all insect vital stages, time series forecasting models based on trend analyses were used to simulate the suitable HT duration. The results highlighted that HT should be increased by 9 h to achieve an air temperature above 45 °C. Finally, to obtain TB surface temperatures lethal to insects, simulations were performed of building interventions capable of reducing sensible heat flux loss through the TBs by using insulating materials. The method described in this paper could help operators define a more suitable HT length and support flour mill owners in decision-making when building interventions to improve heat capacity of the mill envelope should be considered to reduce the power consumption of HT.

Plants are frequently attacked by herbivores and therefore have acquired constitutive and induced defenses during the course of their evolution. Primary and secondary metabolites have been implicated in plant defense against insect pests. Oxidative stress, resulting from the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide andhydroxyl radicals, is a common phenomenon in many plant defense against insect attack. Catalase, which degrades H2O2 into water and oxygen, is one of the major involved antioxidant enzymes. The effectiveness of oxidative defense system in plants can be measured by the activities of antioxidant enzymes and by the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is generally taken as a tool to assess the severity of the oxidative stress and the degree of plant sensitivity towards ROS induced oxidation. Proline may protect protein structure and membranes from damage, and reduce enzyme denaturation. As well, phenylpropanoid pathway is an important pathway to produce secondary plant metabolites and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), as a key enzyme, catalyzes the deamination of phenylalanine to cinnamic acid, the entry and key regulatory step into the phenylpropanoid pathway. In the present study, plants of Bougainvillea glabra Choisy (Nyctaginaceae) were artificially infested with the obligate phloem-feeding pest Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), introduced to Sicily and Mediterranean basin since 2010, and compared with control, uninfested plants. Leaf samples were taken at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144 hours after infestation and also after a longer period, many months later, to monitor the plant response. Pro, MDA, Chla, Chlb and Chla+b, Car, CAT and PAL activities were measured at each sampling date. Proline, MDA, CAT and PAL assays showed a higher content at longer period in the infested samples. Regarding Chl, collected data didn’t show any significant difference between infested plant and control. However, these preliminary results appear significant in understanding of Bougainvillea plant defense against mealybugs because any information are not reported in the literature. Further analyses concerning other enzymatic and molecular responses are necessary., Entomologica, V. 47 (2016)

The composition of two different Origanum vulgare essential oils (EOs) was analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS); their repellent and antimicrobial effects were evaluated against adults and late-instar larvae of Tribolium confusum and adults of Sitophilus oryzae (Insecta: Coleoptera), Gram-negative and -positive bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and the pathogenic fungi, Penicillium digitatum and Aspergillus flavus. The main constituents of the essential oil from the first sample (obtained by hydrodistillation of inflorescences of wild Sicilian O. vulgare) were thymol and ?-terpinene wherein main component of the second one (a commercial essential oil) was carvacrol. The two tested oils showed relevant antimicrobial and repellent activity, with variable efficacy depending on chemical composition, concentration, targeted species and exposure time. Based on the obtained results, the study extends knowledge on oregano EOs for their potential use as food protectants during storage.

BACKGROUND The complexity of both natural and managed ecosystems involves various forms of interaction among organisms. Two or more species that exploit the same resource can engage in competitive behaviours, usually referred to as intraguild interactions. These can be direct, i.e. one species feeds directly upon the competitor (intraguild predation) or indirect, e.g. when the dominant organism competes for a food source that another organism is feeding upon (kleptoparasitism). We investigated the potential for such interactions in a biological model composed by the South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta, and three of its newly associated natural enemies: the zoophytophagous predator Nesidiocoris tenuis and the two idiobiont ectoparasitoids Bracon nigricans and Necremnus tutae. RESULTS N. tenuis was shown (i) to scavenge on parasitised T. absoluta larvae and (ii) directly to attack and feed upon larvae of both parasitoid species, although at a higher percentage in the case of N. tutae. In the presence of the host plant, the predator reduced the emergence of both B. nigricans and N. tutae adults significantly. CONCLUSION This study stresses the ecological success of a generalist predator over indigenous parasitoids attacking an invasive pest. Moreover, these findings provide potential elements for better design of biological control programmes against T. absoluta. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Holepyris sylvanidis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) is reported as a cosmopolitan parasitoid of coleopteran including a major pest of stored products, the confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum. The reproductive biology, and hence biocontrol potential of H. sylvanidis is relatively little known. Here we describe and evaluate aspects of egg size, immature development, adult mating behaviour, pre-oviposition time, fecundity, host attack and use, and adult longevity. Our key findings are that ≈72% of presented T. confusum immatures presented to females were attacked and ≈39% of these were fed on destructively with the remainder oviposited onto. First instar host larvae and host pupae were only utilized for feeding, second and third instar larvae were commonly used for either feeding or oviposition while fourth, fifth and sixth instar hosts were almost exclusively used for oviposition. Females usually laid single egg clutches and their average lifetime fecundity was ≈16.5 eggs. Females regularly provisioned with hosts often ceased laying eggs up to several weeks before their death but continued to kill and feed on hosts during this period. Adult longevity was greatly enhanced by the provision of hosts (females) or by non-host food sources (males). We conclude that the inoculative biocontrol potential of H. sylvanidis is likely to be limited by a low realized fecundity and the combination with other control methods in an IPM-approach is needed. Its ability to find and kill hosts may make it more suitable for inundative deployment.

Heat treatments (HTs) for pest control represent a promising, fast, and non-chemical method to disinfest commodities and structures with a significantly reduced environmental impact compared with the chemical approach. An entomological and economic study has been conducted to determine the technical efficacy and economic feasibility of HT in mills that produce flour and semolina in Sicily (Italy) where, for the first time, this technique has been applied. The results obtained from the entomological analysis demonstrated that this method provided a satisfactory level of control of the following insect species: Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), Tribolium confusum (Jacquelin du Val) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Stegobium paniceum (L.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), and Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Moreover, using precautionary assumptions in terms of revenue and cost changes resulting from the adoption of HT, the economic analysis showed a good performance of the economic indices making this technique economically feasible for the mills. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of HTs which ensure to Sicilian mills a reduction of environmental impact of production process and the subsequent increase of the competitive position in the agri-food markets of the processed products.

Estimated seasonal abundance of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) (Diptera, Culicidae) in the municipality of Catania (eastern Sicily, Italy) is provided and discussed. A monitoring campaign was carried out in urban and suburban sectors of the city during the autumn of 2007 and all of 2008 and 2013. Populations of the mosquito were surveyed weekly with standard ovitraps as a tool for estimating its population density. Analysis of the distributional data, seasonal occurrence, habitat preferences, and egg-laying intensity of the mosquito is provided.

International audience; Synthetic chemicals are extensively used to limit the substantial crop damage induced by two closely related scale insects, the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri Risso (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Both organisms are economically important pests occurring in vineyards and/or in citrus orchards worldwide. Synthetic chemicals can be either incorporated in pesticides aimed at directly controlling these pests or used as semiochemicals (i.e., sex pheromones) for monitoring, mass trapping, mating disruption, and/or for kairomonal attraction to enhance parasitoid performances. Growing evidence of both an alarming bee decline and destruction of auxiliary fauna driven by pesticides have stimulated an urgent need for in-depth research clarifying the adverse side effects of pesticides on beneficial arthropods. We have reviewed the current knowledge on mealybug pest control based on insecticides and semiochemicals. We highlight the following major advances: (1) How the active substances of insecticides (four organophosphates, imidacloprid, buprofezin, and spirotetramat) affect target and non-target organisms, (2) in which contexts and how a semiochemical-based strategy could be applied to deal with serious mealybug infestations, and (3) the implications of the appropriate exploitation of these synthetic chemicals for sustainable development. Using selective insecticides with novel modes of action and long-lasting efficacy in combination with eco-friendly semiochemical-based tools is a promising strategy for developing sustainable integrated pest management programs. This would help to maintain biodiversity dynamics and vital ecosystem services, thereby sustaining crop yields.

The repeated use of conventional synthetic pesticides in crop protection leads to resistance development by pests along with a negative impact on the environment, particularly non-target arthropods. Plant-derived active compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), play a key role in sustainably controlling pests. The lethal and sublethal activity of citrus peel EOs as emulsions and included in polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (EO-NPs) was determined against the invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta. Their effects on the plants were also assessed. The results showed an overall good insecticidal activity of the compounds tested, with a higher mortality through contact on eggs and larvae by EO emulsions and through ingestion on larvae by EO-NPs. The nanoformulation also significantly reduced the visible toxic effects on the plants. The data collected suggest that these natural compounds, especially when nanoformulated, could be successfully used in integrated pest management programs for T. absoluta.

Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important natural enemy of several key arthropod pests. However, in tomato crop this predator can cause economic damage owing to its zoophytophagous behavior. We investigated in laboratory conditions the influence of two alternative plants, Dittrichia viscosa L. (Asteraceae) and Sesamum indicum (L.) (Pedaliaceae), with or without prey, on N. tenuis damage and its biological control services on Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) eggs. Both D. viscosa and S. indicum, as companion plants in dual-choice bioassays, significantly reduced the damage of the mirid on tomato. S. indicum was more attractive than D. viscosa for feeding and oviposition and its presence did not interfere with the predation on T. absoluta eggs. We also studied the potential of the three plants as preyless rearing substrate for the mirid, and only S. indicum showed to be a suitable host plant for N. tenuis development and oviposition. The potential applications of S. indicum in N. tenuis field management and mass rearing are discussed.

Parasitoids can suppress populations of their host and thus play a primary role in Integrated Pest Management. The parasitic wasp Cephalonomia waterstoni Gahan (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) is a natural enemy of the rusty grain beetle Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Cucujidae). In the stored product environment, stimuli deriving from plant products, damaged plant products and hosts might be important for host location by the parasitoids. We tested the response of female parasitoids to odours deriving from infested and uninfested plant products, the grain dust produced by feeding primary pests, and various life stages of the rusty grain beetle. The olfactory response of C. waterstoni was found to be strongly elicited both by chemicals emitted by the dust, adult C. waterstoni and C. waterstoni third and fourth instar larvae. Our findings may contribute towards biological control of C. ferrugineus and the chemical ecology of olfactory host location by C. waterstoni.

In October 2014 samples were collected from olive trees growing in South‐Eastern Sicily (Italy) that were showing wilting symptoms. In the field, clear signs of flagging appeared on young twigs and lateral shoots, and many leaves had fallen to the ground. Initial laboratory examinations of attacked twigs revealed the presence of a large number of adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (F., 1792). Sampling was repeated during the following 2 years, and while an outbreak of the pest did not occur, continuous damage was observed. In 2016, exclusively using pheromone‐baited traps in olive trees, a large number of adults were captured. The main local climatic parameters were monitored from 2014 to 2016 and compared with the population levels. The incidence of damage and survival of R. dominica in an environment different from its usual one (stored grain) deserves attention, especially considering that climate change could greatly affect pest demographics and put olive trees in this area and further afield at risk of increased damage.

The repeated use of conventional synthetic pesticides in crop protection leads to resistance development by pests along with a negative impact on the environment, particularly non-target arthropods. Plant-derived active compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), play a key role in sustainably controlling pests. The lethal and sublethal activity of citrus peel EOs as emulsions and included in polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (EO-NPs) was determined against the invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta. Their effects on the plants were also assessed. The results showed an overall good insecticidal activity of the compounds tested, with a higher mortality through contact on eggs and larvae by EO emulsions and through ingestion on larvae by EO-NPs. The nanoformulation also significantly reduced the visible toxic effects on the plants. The data collected suggest that these natural compounds, especially when nanoformulated, could be successfully used in integrated pest management programs for T. absoluta.

The host-finding ability of a field strain of the parasitoid Venturia canescens (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) collected from dried cherries infested with the raisin moth (Cadra figulilella) was investigated in the presence of cues from larvae of three pyralid moth species, Ephestia kuehniella, Plodia interpunctella and C. figulilella, and also the hexane extract of infested host-food products, using a Y-tube olfactometer. Venturia canescens strongly preferred the larval-infested substrate or the kairomonal extract obtained from the same material over filtered air or uninfested substrate, demonstrating that the parasitoid was also attracted to the allelochemicals regardless of host species. The parasitoid had a preference for the product infested with the larvae of the species on which it had been reared (C. figulilella). This finding suggests that the emission of volatiles from the infested products in response to the feeding activity of the host larvae played an important role in the attraction of the parasitoid. The host-finding strategy of female parasitoids varied with the presence of different host species. This behaviour is important for both the mass rearing of V. canescens and for evaluating this species for the biological control of pyralid moth pests.

Here we review the arthropod pests most damaging to pomegranate cultivation in the main production regions of the Circum-Mediterranean area, and discuss the eventual phytosanitary risks linked to some newly introduced species in this geographical area. The arthropod species mentioned here are based on their occurrence and economic importance. These are either mites (Tenuipalpidae) or insects belonging to Hemiptera (Flatidae, Aphididae, Aleyrodidae, Coccidae, Diaspididae, and Pseudococcidae), Lepidoptera (Cossidae, Lycaenidae, Erebidae, and Pyralidae), Diptera (Tephritidae), and Coleoptera (Bostrichidae and Nitidulidae). In the Circum-Mediterranean area, the major pests are Aphis punicae, A. gossypii, Planococcus spp., Zeuzera pyrina, Apomyelois ceratoniae, Deudorix livia and Cryptoblades gnidiella. A nod is also given to those species normally considered as minor pests that, in some environment and under specific conditions, can be of major concern. Particular attention should be paid toward avoiding the introduction of two species that could become a serious problem for pomegranate that are Thaumatotibia leucotreta and Deudorix isocrates. The main morphological and biological characteristics of each pomegranate pest species and the tools available in their integrated and organic control are briefly presented.

In this study Authors report scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) species for the first time recorded on some endemic plants of Sicilian flora, namely, Abies nebrodensis Mattei (Pinaceae), Astragalus siculus Biv. (Leguminosae), Betula aetnensis Rafinesque (Betulaceae) and Zelkova sicula Di Pasquale Garfi & Quezel (Ulmaceae). Abie s nebrodensis is present in a single small population on Madonie Mountains. On this conifer the fir scale Parlatoria parlatoriae (Sulc) (Diaspididae) was collected. On B. aetnensis , that colonizes the lava substrates of Etna Volcano mainly at 1300–1900 m.a.s.l., a consistent population of an undescribed Diaspidiotus species (currently being described) was collected. Moreover Lepidosaphes ulmi (Linnaeus) (Diaspididae) was detected and collected on A. siculus which is characteristic plant of the upper part of the volcano. Zelkova sicula is a very rare relict of the Tertiary, belonging to a genus of plants already extinct in Continental Europe; with only two small populations living in restricted woodland areas in south oriental Sicily where two scale insects were collected: Aspidiotus nerii (Costa) (Diaspididae) and Parthenolecanium sp. (Coccidae).

Laboratory studies assessing the degree of suitability of the mealybugs Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Planococcus citri (Risso) and Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell), towards the Sicilian ecotype of the encyrtid parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci were carried out. All three species of mealybugs were shown to encapsulate the eggs of the encyrtid; however, significant differences were revealed among them in rates of encapsulation and/or superparasitism. The level of aggregate encapsulation and effective encapsulation of the parasitoid eggs by P. citri (74.95 ± 0.87 and 60.19 ± 1.70, respectively) was significantly higher than that recorded for P. ficus (aggregate encapsulation = 58.43 ± 0.83 and effective encapsulation = 31.31 ± 1.55) and significantly lower than the values found in Ps. calceolariae (93.99 ± 0.97 and 88.61 ± 2.03, respectively). As such, rates of parasitism were significantly lower for P. ficus compared with both P. citri and Ps. calceolariae. The two latter species of mealybugs showed similar rates of parasitism by A. sp. nr. pseudococci. Moreover, a significantly higher rate of superparasitism was found for Ps. calceolariae compared with both P. citri and P. ficus, whereas no significant differences were found between the two species of Planococcus for this parameter.

The present study was aimed at elucidating the role of lavandulyl senecioate (LS), the sex pheromone of Planococcus ficus, in host selection of the parasitoid Anagyrus sp. near pseudococci. Field trials were carried out in Portugal, Italy and Israel. The effect of LS on the parasitism rate of the wasp was determined by exposing sentinel mealybugs combined with pheromone dispensers impregnated with LS, in comparison with other baits: lavandulyl isovalerate (LI); planococcyl acetate (PAc); and unbaited control traps. In addition, in order to study the host location behavior of A. sp. near pseudococci, pheromone dispensers were placed at three different distances: inside the trap, 30 or 60 cm away from the trap. The number of parasitoid females inside the traps, the number of parasitized mealybugs, and the number of days required for the first parasitoid emergence were recorded. The response of A. sp. near pseudococci females to different doses of LS (25–1350 μg) was also evaluated using sticky plate traps. The rate of mealybug parasitism by A. sp. near pseudococci was significantly increased by LS in the three parasitoid populations. PAc and LI had no significant effect on the wasp parasitism rate in most of the trials. However, the Italian population of the parasitoid responded to PAc, showing apparently a different behavioral pattern. The number of parasitoid females trapped did not significantly differ between tested doses of LS. The use of LS as an arrestant in host location by the A. sp. near pseudococci female is discussed.

The “potato trap” technique was applied for the fi rst time in Italian (Sicily) vineyards in an attempt to assess: a) the impact of the kairomonal activity of the vine mealybug sex pheromone (S)-(+)-lavandulyl senecioate (LS) on the parasitism of mealybugs by the encyrtid Anagyrus sp. near pseudococci, b) the influence of two commonly used insecticides on the parasitization activity of A. sp. near pseudococci towards mealybugs, and c) the efficiency of the release of A. sp. near pseudococci in enhancing parasitism rates of mealybugs. The number of captured A. sp. near pseudococci females in LS baited traps was significantly higher than that in unbaited traps. The minimal number of days for the first parasitoid emergence in LS baited traps was almost 3 days earlier, compared to unbaited control, suggesting a faster host detection by the encyrtid when LS is applied. These findings resulted in a significant increase in parasitism of mealybugs by A. sp. near pseudococci in LS baited traps relative to unbaited traps suggesting that the LS is used by the encyrtid as kairomone to ensure greater potential for host searching activity. Insecticide treatments significantly affected parasitization activity of A. sp. near pseudococci on mealybugs when compared to an untreated control with parasitoid release. The buprofezin, chlorpyriphos-methyl and untreated control with no parasitoid release treatments had statistically similar numbers of emerged parasitoids from exposed mealybugs. The obtained results provide evidence that, in the absence of conventional insecticides applications, the use of the LS could be a promising tool to improve and strengthen biological control of mealybugs by A. sp. near pseudococci within Sicilian vineyard conditions.

PubMedID: 26382245 We studied the acute toxicity and the sublethal effects, on reproduction and host-killing activity, of four widely used insecticides on the generalist parasitoid Bracon nigricans (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a natural enemy of the invasive tomato pest, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Laboratory bioassays were conducted applying maximum insecticide label rates at three constant temperatures, 25, 35 and 40C, considered as regular, high and very high, respectively. Data on female survival and offspring production were used to calculate population growth indexes as a measure of population recovery after pesticide exposure. Spinetoram caused 80% mortality at 25C and 100% at higher temperatures, while spinosad caused 100% mortality under all temperature regimes. Cyantraniliprole was slightly toxic to B. nigricans adults in terms of acute toxicity at the three temperatures, while it did not cause any sublethal effects in egg-laying and host-killing activities. The interaction between the two tested factors (insecticide and temperature) significantly influenced the number of eggs laid by the parasitoid, which was the lowest in the case of females exposed to chlorantraniliprole at 35C. Furthermore, significantly lower B. nigricans demographic growth indexes were estimated for all the insecticides under all temperature conditions, with the exception of chlorantraniliprole at 25C. Our findings highlight an interaction between high temperatures and insecticide exposure, which suggests a need for including natural stressors, such as temperature, in pesticide risk assessments procedures. Copyright: © 2015 Abbes et al.

The Persea Mite Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello, is reported for the first time in Italy. The pest was found on avocado in Sicily (South Italy), in August 2014. The predatory mite Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese) was found in association with O. perseae colonies.

Effects of four constant temperatures (19°C, 21°C, 24°C, and 32°C) on the development and reproduction of Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) and on its predatory activity against the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) were investigated. Survival of eggs and larvae was high at 24°C and 32°C. At 19°C none of the larvae survived longer than the first instar, whereas at 21°C the number of the larvae completing the immature stage was extremely low. Developmental time was significantly shorter at 32°C. Females lived longer at 21°C, but no differences were observed at 24°C and 32°C. Fecundity was greatly reduced at 21°C and was higher at 32°C. At 21°C, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) reached the minimum (0.0004), and gradually increased with temperature (0.054 at 24°C and 0.137 at 32°C). At 24°C larvae consumed more prey during their development, but at 32°C the predation rate per day was higher. For adults both total predation rate and predation rate per day were higher at 32°C. The performance of the anthocorid at the various temperatures is discussed in relation to its practical use as a control agent for stored product insects.

2 New records are important for documenting new distributional data and for alerting researchers to a potential new pest. The scale insect fauna (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Tunisia has been little studied and is still poorly known. Additions are continuously reported resulting from faunistic studies including our report of Coccus pseudomagnoliarum (Kuwana) from the Cap Bon region (Jendoubi et al., 2008). Here we report two additional species of scale insects as new country records for Tunisia: Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock (Coccidae) and Chry som - phalus pinnulifer (Maskell) (Diaspididae). Brief comments on zoogeographical distribution and the pest status of each species are provided. Both species were collected during a survey in autumn 2009 listing species of scale insects in the main citrus-growing regions of Tunisia: Nabeul (northeast), and Beja and Jen - douba (northwest). All slide-mounted females were identified at the Univer sity of Catania, referring to the keys of Balachowsky (1956), McKenzie (1956), Hamon and Williams (1984) and Pellizzari and Camporese (1994).

Past works on scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) from the Maltese Archipelago are reviewed. Based on the literature and contemporary collections, a total of 93 species of scale insects belonging to 12 scale insect families are here reported (Aclerdidae 1 species; Asterolecaniidae 4; Coccidae 17; Diaspididae 46; Eriococcidae 5; Kermesidae 1; Margarodidae 1; Micrococcidae 1; Monophlebidae 2; Pseudoccocidae 11; Putoidae 2 and Rhizoecidae 2). Of these, 17 species represent new distribution records. Ten species are excluded from the scale insect fauna of the Maltese Islands. Of the 93 species present, only 29 (31.18%) are probably indigenous and the rest (68.82%) represent established introductions from elsewhere. More than 65% of the indigenous species are typical Mediterranean in distribution, with a few species having a mainly European chorotype. A quarter of the established aliens originate from Eurasia, followed by an East Asian/ Oriental component (20.31%); European (14.06%); Neotropical (14.06%); cryptogenic (14.06%); African (7.81%) and Australasian (4.70%). Movement of live fruit trees and ornamental plants into the Maltese Archipelago from nearby countries is probably the main route for entry of alien scale insects into the country. Some possible future introductions are discussed.

The Mesozoic succession of Dire Dawa, Harar Province, Ethiopia, consists of a lower fluviatile sandstone (Adigrat Sandstone); an intermediate carbonate-marly unit, formerly called Antalo Limestone; and an upper fluviatile sandstone (Amba Aradam Formation). This study has shown that the intermediate unit consists of four different formations grouped into two depositional sequences. These sequences and their boundaries, Middle-Late Jurassic in age, are well correlated with sequences recognised throughout East Africa and a large part of Yemen. The base of the lower sequence (Antalo Supersequence) is time-transgressive (Pliensbachian to Oxfordian) and is the result of the first flooding of this sector of the Gondwana continent during the Mesozoic. The second major sequence boundary is also time-transgressive and corresponds to an abrupt deepening of East Africa and southern Arabia shallow water ramps and carbonate platforms, a collapse most probably related to the separation of Madagascar from Africa. A major tectonic event occurred in Early Cretaceous from northern Ethiopia to Yemen, and southern Ethiopia and Somalia. This vast uplift, testified by faults and angular uncomformities, was followed by deposition of fluviatile sediments over the entire region.

Packaging represents a critical step in the food quality preservation and the ultimate defence against insect pests. Cereal-based foods may be infested by insects even during their packed life, i.e. during distribution, transportation and storage in warehouses or in retail stores. Many studies in the last years have concerned the development of active packaging with antioxidant and antimicrobial action, but very few studies have addressed insect-repellent packaging materials for foods. This work aimed at assessing the repellent efficacy of novel functional packaging materials containing three essential oils: citronella, oregano and rosemary. Repellent films were chemically characterized by MHS-SPME-GC-MS. The results obtained from area tests run in Petri dishes indicated that essential oils at concentrations higher than 0.005 μL/cm2 showed potential in terms of repellent activities against the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Assays performed with coated packages containing wheat semolina showed repellency results ranging from 53 to 87% for citronella and rosemary, respectively. Industrial Relevance The paper deals with the study carried out of several Essential Oils as repellent for insects in packaged food. Rejection of packaged food caused by insect pests is a great problem that affects the industry worldwide. Without any doubt the prevention of insect attack from the packaging material without affecting the packaged product is an environmentally friendly and economical advantage. The industry is demanding this type of solutions.

Honeydew-excreting hemipterans, such as mealybug pests, can be protected from their natural enemies by tending ants in return for honeydew, thereby compromising the aims of biological control. In this respect, antagonistic interactions between the ant Tapinoma nigerrimum, native to the Mediterranean basin, and the main natural enemies of both the vine mealybug (VMB), Planococcus ficus, and the citrus mealybug (CM), Planococcus citri, were assessed in laboratory conditions. Parasitism of vine and CMs by their respective parasitoids, Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci and Leptomastix dactylopii, was negatively affected by the ant T. nigerrimum. Similarly, T. nigerrimum was shown to significantly disrupt the predatory potential of ladybird larvae, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, when foraging on host CMs. By contrast, the presence of the ant did not negatively influence the predatory activity of C. montrouzieri adults when feeding on CMs. Consequently, the encyrtid parasitoids A. sp. nr. pseudococci and L. dac...