Natural enemies of Diaspis echinocacti in Greece and first records of Aphytis debachi and Plagiomerus diaspidis

Abstract

Two hymenopteran parasitoids of the cactus scale Diaspis echinocacti (Bouche) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) are recorded in Greece. Aphytis debachi Azim, 1963 (Aphelinidae) is first recorded for Europe and Plagiomerus diaspidis Crawford, 1910 (Encyrtidae) is first recorded for Greece. Preliminary data on phenology and natural enemies of the scale D. echinocacti on O. ficus-indica are presented. Parasitism of D. echinocacti by P. diaspidis reached 86% in southern Greece (Kalamata) and parasitism by A. debachi reached 9.3% and 12% in Kalamata and Athens, respectively. Two predators, Cybocephalus fodori Endrody-Youga (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and a mite species (Prostigmata: Bdellidae), were found to be associated with D. echinocacti.