OBSERVATIONS ON SOME MEALYBUGS (COCCINEA: PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) AND THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES ON ARBORATE PLANTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

OBSERVATIONS ON SOME MEALYBUGS (COCCINEA: PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) AND THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES ON ARBORATE PLANTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA. Twenty-one species of Pseudococcidae are associated with arborate plants in Georgia. About 50% are adventive species which are mostly restricted to the subtropical zone of the Black Sea, although Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) and Planococcus ficus (Signoret) are widespread, while the main pest is Planococcus ficus, which is injurious to grapevine and some other plants. The indigenous species are related to other European or Euro-central asian species. Three species have been described from Georgia, but native mealybugs are of no economic importance and are rarely found in urban areas. The main biocontrol agents for most of these mealybugs are encyrtid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). The species described from Georgia which may be effective biocontrol agents are: Aphycus hadzibeyliae Trjapitzin, a parasitoid of Phenacoccus aceris (Signoret) and Phenacoccus transcaucasicus Hadzibeyli, and Pseudaphycus phenacocci Jasnosh, also a parasitoid of P. aceris (as P. mespili (Signoret)). A revised check-list of the mealybugs and their parasitoids in Georgia is given. Key words: distribution, host plants, damage, natural enemies, Aphelinidae, Proctotrupoidea, Platogasteridae, Coccinellidae, Chrysopidae, Chamaemyidae, Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, Signiphoridae, overwinter, faunistics, Nephus, Chrysopa, Leucopis