NEW RECORD AND HOST OF ENCARSIA BIFASCIAFACIES (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) ON SUGAR CANE SOFT SCALE, PUL VINARIA TENUIVAL VA TA (HOMOPTERA:, COCCIDAE) ON SUGAR CANE IN EGYPT

Species of Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) have been considered as the most efficacious group of biocontrol agents of whitefly and armored scale pests on a wide broad range of Agricultural crops (Polaszek et aI., 1999). Abd-Rabou (1998) elucidated the effective role of the different species of this genus of Egypt. Encarsia species are mostly primary parasitoids of whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) and armored scale insects (Diaspididae), with four species known from aphids (Hormaphididae) (Evans et aI., 1995). Males, however, are very often hyperparasitoids of females (or males) of their own of other species (Viggiani, 1984). Genus Encarsia contains fourteen species, eleven species attacks whiteflies and the rest of the species attack armored scale insects in Egypt (Polaszek et al., 1999). Abd-Rabou (2001) recorded 32 parasitoid species attacking soft scale insects in Egypt. Hayat (1989) is the only references recorded Genus Encarsia as a parasitoid of soft scale insects. In spite of the fact that soft scale are not attacked by Encarsia species as well known in Egypt after the works of Polaszek et al. 1999 and Abd-Rabou, 1998, 2001. During September 2004, collected sugar cane leaves heavily infested by sugar cane soft scale, Pulvinaria tenuivalvata (Newstead) (Homoptera : Coccidae) in Qena (Nag - Hammadi) were transferred to the laboratory for parasitoids emergence and identification. Identification of the parasitoid followed mounting the specimens through the method of Noyes, 1982. Identification of the parasitoid started by the keys of Abd-Rabou, 1998 and Polaszek et al. 1999 followed by the Keys of Hayat, 1989 and Abd-Rabou and Ghahari, 2004 Results indicated that the parasitoid species collected was Encarsia bifasciafacies Hayat (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) associated with the sugar cane soft scale, P. tenuivalvata. This parasitoid recorded for the first time attacking the new host P. tenuivalvata in Egypt. It concluded that Encarsia species was found for the first time to attack a soft scale insect which is a new phenomenon in Egypt. Further investigation in detail will be conducted on this parasitoid soon.