Flight of San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus males and time of crawler appearance in orchards of northern Greece

Abstract

The seasonal flight of San Jose scale (SJS), Quadraspidiotus perniciosus Comstock, males was studied during 1984-1987 in peach and nectarine orchards, under two different climatic conditions in Central Macedonia (Northern Greece), using sex pheromone traps. In late-season regions there were three periods of male flight activity (May, July-August, September – October), while in early-season regions there was also a partial fourth one (mid April-May, mid June-July. August – mid September and late September – early November). In the latter regions these flights can be correlated with the appearance of the scale crawlers during three periods (late May – early July, mid July – August, September – October) and a partial fourth one (November) in milder years, as determined using the sticky-tape trap technique. Pheromone traps and sticky-tape traps can be used for the study of phenology of San Jose scale, under conditions prevailing in Northern Greece.