A STUDY ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF LECANOPSIS CLODIENSIS (PELLIZZARI) N. COMB. (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: COCCIDAE)

A STUDY ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF LECANOPSIS CLODIENSIS (PELLIZZARI) N. COMB. (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: COCCIDAE). The biology of Lecanopsis clodiensis (Pellizzari) has been studied in Italy, where the species is widespread and lives on Gramineae. The species has one generation/year. Adult emergence takes places in April-May, depending on the meteorological conditions. After mating, the females lay eggs and the crawlers hatch within a month and disperse to the root-crowns of the host plant (a Gramineae) and settle under the leaf-sheath in very protected positions. The 3rd-instar female nymphs and 2nd-instar male nymphs overwinter. All nymphal stages are covered by a glassy wax test. Some aspects of its life history have been investigated in their natural environments (a sandy beach and a meadow) and in the laboratory, particularly its reproductive behaviour, the behaviour of both fertilised and virgin females, its mating behaviour and the dispersal of the adult female. Other observations on the remarkable biology of this species are reported. Key words: voltinism, sex ratio, eggsac, pupa, phototaxis, host plants, sex pheromones