Icerya purchasi Mask

SPECIES: Icerya purchasi ( Ordine Hemiptera )

COMMON NAME: Cottony cushion scale

SIZE: adult female about 4-5 mm long; male about 1 mm.

LIFECYCLE: lcerya purchasi overwinters in each stage of development; In late winter, in February, it starts producing eggs in its egg sac, which contains several hundred; early spring sees the appearance the nymphs. This generation is followed by two more, with the appearance of nymphs around June (2nd generation) and September (3rd generation). lcerya therefore accomplishes three generations per year. Under favourable environmental conditions, there can also be a fourth generation.

FEATURES: hermaphrodite species; has a reddish body covered with whitish wax. The mature "female" has a massive waxy egg-sac, covered longitudinally with grooves. Il male, appearing only occasionally, develops from unfertilized eggs, has wings, and is about 1 mm long. The nymphs are orange at birth, then become covered with abundant white wax.

HABITAT: The cottony cushion scale is of Australian origin. It has been seen in Italy since the beginning of the last century, and thrives in more temperate regions. Citrus, Pittosporum, Acacias, brooms, and various ornamental horticultural greenhouse plants are just some of the hosts that are infested.

DIET/DAMAGE: The damage occurs on the underside of the leaves, the stems of the fruit, and the younger branches, and is due to the removal of sap, thus slowing down the development of plants and causing leaf drop. The wounds inflicted upon the bark of the branches may also exude sap and, finally, the abundant production of honeydew smears the vegetation and fruits, causing the appearance of sooty mould.

I want to sterminate it