Bionomy of small spruce bud scale, Physokermes hemicryphus (Dalman) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Serbia

Small spruce bud scale, Physokermes hemicryphus (Dalman) (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is a Holarctic, oligophagous species developing on plants of the genera Picea and Abies (Pinaceae). It is a serious pest of Picea abies in Serbia, which causes drying and falling of needles, branches and even drying of entire plants. A study of the bionomy of Ph. hemicryphus was carried out at five locations in Serbia in 2016 and 2017. Ph. hemicryphus was found to develop one generation annually and to overwinter as second-instar larvae on spruce branches. Adults emerge at the beginning of April and oviposition takes place at the beginning of May. Larvae hatch in the second half of May; during summer they feed on spruce needles and moult into second-instar larvae in September. Scale populations are controlled by a number of natural enemies. Five species of parasitoid wasps were reared: Coccophagus lycimnia (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Metaphycus unicolor Hoffer, Microterys lunatus (Dalman), Pseudorhopus testaceus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Pachyneuron muscarum (L.) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), as well as five predatory species: Anthribus nebulosus Forster (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Exochomus quadripustulatus L., Scymnus abietis Paykull, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). The most efficient parasitoid of Ph. hemicryphus was P. testaceus, reducing scale populations up to 28.97%, while the most efficient predator was A. nebulosus with an efficacy of up to 51.72%.

The Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of Tigirek Nature Reserve (North-Western Altai, Russia)

The annotated list of 26 species and 16 genera of Coccinellidae from the Tigirek strict nature reserve is presented. Fifteen species are newly recorded for this region: Scymnus frontalis (Fabricius, 1787); Hyperaspis reppensis (Herbst, 1783); Hyperaspis erythrocephala (Fabricius, 1787); Exochomus quadripustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758); Coccinula sinuatomarginata (Faldermann, 1837); Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1761); Tytthaspis gebleri (Mulsant, 1850); Myzia gebleri (Crotch, 1874); Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Calvia decemguttata (Linnaeus, 1767); Hippodamia (Hemisphaerica) tredecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Ceratomegilla undecimnotata (D.H. Schneider, 1792); Coccinella magnificaL. Redtenbacher, 1843; Coccinella nivicola Mulsant, 1850, and Anatisocellata (Linnaeus, 1758). Two species, Coccinula sinuatomarginata (Faldermann, 1837) and Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1761), are new records for West Siberia.

Bionomy of spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae (schrank) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the Belgrade area, Serbia

Spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae, develops on the genus Picea. Large colonies of this species are constantly present on Picea abies in green areas in the Belgrade territory, causing the drying of needles, branches and whole plants. Therefore, Ph. piceae is a significant spruce pest. Spruce scales attract many entomophagous insects able to reduce pest population. Parasitoid wasps Coccophagus lycimnia (Walk) (Aphelinidae) and Microterys lunatus (Dalm.) (Encyrtidae) were reared. Predators Exochomus quadripustulatus L., Scymnus abietis Paykull (Coccinellidae) and Anthribus nebulosus Forster (Anthribidae) were determined. Both species of ladybird were confirmed as predators of Ph. piceae for the first time in Serbia, while S. abietis is a new species for the fauna of Serbia. The most effective natural enemy of Ph. piceae was A. nebulosus, reducing populations by 68-80%.