M. persicae is a small green aphid and is the most significant aphid pest of peach trees, causing decreased growth, shriveling of the leaves and the death of various tissues. It is also hazardous because it acts as a vector for the transport of plant viruses, such as potato virus Y and potato leafroll virus to members of the nightshade/potato family Solanaceae, and various mosaic viruses to many other food crops. M. persicae is a globally significant crop pest that…
Cydia pomonella adults have a wingspan of about 15-22 mm. Their forewings are gray to dark brown and bear a copper-colored circular marking near the tip of the forewing; the hindwings are brown. The larvae are white when newly hatched, but soon become pink and are up to 20 mm long. C. pomonella females lay 50-100 single eggs each, directly on the developing fruits or on adjacent leaves or shoots. The larvae hatch 5-18 days later and shortly after they…
…and for many years continuous insecticide applications have been the main tool with the result that today this species shows resistance to almost all insecticides, including recently introduced compounds with new modes of action. P. xylostella is a highly migratory, cosmopolitan species and one of the most important pest of cruciferous crops worldwide. Globally, direct losses and control costs are estimated to be US$ 1 billion. In temperate regions, P. xylostella are unable to overwinter and therefore annual outbreaks are…
…seen populations develop resistance to neonicotinoid and phenylpyrazole insecticides. At the time of writing there is no evidence of a common cross-resistance resistance between chemical classes of insecticide, however there is evidence that individual hoppers may exhibit multiple mechanisms of resistance to one or more insecticide modes of action. Currently pymetrozine is the only insecticide which is registered for rice hopper control, with no recorded cases of resistance reported. Nilaparvata lugens adults occur in macropterous (long-winged) and brachypterous (short-winged) forms….
S . furcifera is a migratory insect that is one of the most important pest species on rice in many Asian countries but problematic pest throughout the main rice-growing areas of Oceania and Australia too. The nymphs and adults of S. furcifera are phloem feeders. They prefer young plants, but all growth stages can be attacked. Plant injury results mainly from the loss of water and nutrients with the extracted sap. In addition to causing direct damage, S. furcifera…
Spodoptera exigua is a highly dispersive, polyphagous species that is a serious pest of vegetable, field and flower crops. Susceptible crops include asparagus, cabbage, pepper, tomato, lettuce, celery, strawberry, eggplant, sugar beet, alfalfa, and cotton. S. exigua is native to Southeast Asia but is now found in Africa, Southern Europe, Japan, Australia and North America. It lacks a diapause mechanism and can only overwinter successfully in warm regions or in greenhouses. Nevertheless, because of its dispersal abilities, S. exigua will…
Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) originated in western North America and has since become a major pest of vegetables, fruit and ornamental crops across the US and around the world. F. occidentalis are small (1-2 mm long), slender, soft-bodied insects that are yellow to light brown in color; adults have distinctive fringed wings. It can develop quickly, going from egg to adult in two weeks or less at favorable temperatures. Adult females insert eggs into plant tissue under the epidermis….
This moth is one of the most destructive pests of the tobacco. Other recorded food plants include cotton, rice and soybean. It is only found in the Americas from Canada to Argentina. Female can lay up to 2000 eggs, on buds, blossoms or young foliage. Depending on climatic conditions it can have several generations in each season. The life cycle is completed in about 7 weeks. Newly-hatched larvae usually begin feeding on tender leaf surfaces and other tender vegetation…
P. ulmi is a major pest in almost all fruit growing regions of the world. The mites feed by puncturing cells of the leaf parenchyma with their stylets and sucking out their contents. This causes physiological changes in the leaves, and photosynthesis, transpiration and nitrogen accummulation can be severely constrained. Spread of P. ulmi to most apple-growing areas has probably been caused by the distribution of nursery stock carrying winter eggs. A wide host range includes deciduous bushes and trees…
Ostrinia nubilalis is native to Europe and is one of the most important pests of corn. It is found in Europe, North America, where it was first reported in 1917, and some areas of northern Africa. In late spring, usually a few days before the corn female inflorescences appear, the moths lay about 500-1500 eggs in masses on the underside of the leaves. Larvae take 3-4 weeks to develop and the caterpillars will either pupate, to produce a second…