Biology of the Citrus Wax Scale Insect, Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock on Citrus Trees, and the Relationship Between the Dimensions of the Developmental Stages of the Insect with its Hosts in Syria

Abstract

Hassan, A., N. Abo Kaf and E. Mohamed. 2024. Biology of the Citrus Wax Scale Insect, Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock on Citrus Trees, and the Relationship Between the Dimensions of the Developmental Stages of the Insect with its Hosts in Syria. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 42(4): 419-423. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-001266

This study was carried out during the 2018-2019 period in citrus orchards in Latakia Governorate, Syria. The biology of the citrus wax scale, Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock (Homoptera: Coccidae), was investigated and the effect of the plant host on the insect stages dimensions was determined. It has been shown that the insect had two generations per year, and the adult female laid an average of 350-500 eggs under a wax cover. The dimensions of the insect’s stages reached their highest value on the laurel plant, followed by loquat, and the least was on citrus.

Keywords:

Citrus wax scale, Ceroplastes floridensis, Syria.