Biology and Harmfulness of Unaspis euonymi (Comstock) in the Area of Belgrade

• Main Author: Draga Graora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Pesticides and Environmental Protection 2007-01-01
• Series: Pesticidi i Fitomedicina
• Subjects: Unaspis euonymi; Diaspididae; Euonymus spp.; Harmfulness
• Online Access: http://www.pesting.org.rs/download.php/documents/22-3a/22-3%20247-253.pdf

Unaspis euonymi (Comstock) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) is a very dangerous pest of Euonymus spp. Numerous scale colonies and a high level of plant infestation provoke drying of leaves, branches and whole plants. As a result these plants have been less and less used in urban environment in the last few years. The biology and harmfulness of U. euonymi were studied on Euonymus plant, in severallocations in the teritory of Belgrade during 2004 and 2005. The species has three generations and overwinters as mature female on trunks and branches of Euonymus. Due to a prolonged oviposition period, the generations are overlapping so that all developmentalstages are continually present on plants. The level of infestation was examined on three plant species, Euonymus japonica, E. europea and E. fortunei, and E. japonica was the most frequently attacked plant was.