PORTRAIT OF MARCHALINA HELLENICA GENNADIUS (HEMIPTERA: MARGARODIDAE), THE MAIN PRODUCING INSECT OF PINE HONEYDEW-BIOLOGY, GENETIC VARIABILITY AND HONEY PRODUCTION.

Marchalina hellenica is the main honeydew producing insect of pine trees. It is endemic to Greece and Turkey and introduced to the Italian island of Ischia. It has one generation per year and the adult females appear on the trees only after mid March. Studies on the genetic structure of the insect show that the low genetic variability may be due to the fact that it can not be dispersed long distances in correlation with the parthenogenetic reproduction. The amount of honeydew produced by the insect varies over the year and mainly depends on the size and age of the nymphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]