NEW RECORDS OF THE SOFT SCALE INSECTS HOSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROMISING PARASITOID, SCUTELLISTA CAERULEA (FONSCOLOMBE) (HYMENOPTERA:PTEROMALIDAE) IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Scutellista caerulea (Fonscolombe) ( Hymenoptera : Pteromalidae) is one of the most promising parasitoid of soft scale insects of the world and Egypt. The present work dealt with the host range and distribution of this species in Egypt during 2005-2010. The result indicated that the recorded species was associated with 8 soft scale insect species in 9 governorates, two of them as recorded here as a new host insects for the first time in Egypt. These are Ceroplastes rusci (L.) and Coccus hesperidum L. (Hemipetra : Coccidae). An updating list of parasitoids of soft scale insects in Egypt and a key of these parasitoids were also included.