3. Citrus blackfly: Aleurocanthus woglumi (Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera)

Distribution and Status: Sikkim, India, Srilanka, Philippines, Jamaica, Cuba and Bahamas.

Host range: Citrus, sweet orange, avacado, grape vine, mango, guava, pear, plum.

Damage symptoms

Nymphs and adults suck plant sap, causing curling of leaves and premature fall of flower buds and developing fruits.

Bionomics

Yellowish brown oval eggs, laid spirally, egg period, 7-14 days. Nymphs scale like, shiny black, spiny and bearded by a white fringe of wax, nymphal period 38-60 days. Pupa oval, black with arched dorsum having long black spines and round black teeth. Adults dark orange with smoky wings, forewings having four whitish areas of irregular shape.

Management

• Close planting, water logging or stress conditions are avoided.
• Excessive irrigation and application of nitrogen and pesticidal sprays are avoided
• Spray neem oil 3% or Fish Oil Rosin Soap 30 g/L or quinalphos 25 EC 2.0 L or monocrotophos  36 SL 1.5 L or methyl demeton  25 EC 1 .0 L or ethion 50 EC 2.5 L  or triazophos 40 EC 3.0 L or or per ha.  Use 5-15 L water/tree or 1500 – 2000 L water per ha during April – May and again during September – October.