Saissetia Oleae Research Articles

Exploring scale insects biodiversity in orange orchards: insights from Guelma province, Algeria

Scale insects are pests affecting citrus crops in the Mediterranean basin, but their significance is often overlooked in some countries due to insufficient information about the threat they pose to this type of cultivation. In Algeria, various studies have aimed to identify and highlight the most harmful species impacting citrus orchards. This research specifically focuses on compiling a list of species affecting orange orchards in three regions of Guelma province (northeast Algeria) which are Boumahra Ahmad, El Fedjoudj and Guelma. Branch samples with their leaves were collected from all cardinal directions of the trees as well as from the center of the canopy during the winter-spring period from 2014 to 2018 while examining the climatic influence on their presence. Seventeen species were identified, with Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell, 1879), Parlatoria ziziphi (Lucas, 1853) and Coccus pseudomagnoliarum (Kuwana, 1914) being dominant and Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman, 1869), Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1791) and Saissetia coffeae (Walker, 1852) considered rare. Non-parametric richness estimators (Chao 1, Chao 2, Jack 1 and Boot) suggest the potential presence of additional species, reaching 20.15 ± 0.96, indicating that the count may extend to 21 scale insects in the surveyed orchards. Spearman correlation analysis applied to species and climatic conditions reveals their influence on species abundance, but not on their diversity. We observed a positive impact on relative humidity and a negative impact on average temperature.

Identification of Some Species of the Family Coccidae that Infest Fruit Orchards in Syria

Saleh, A.T. and A.M. Basheer. 2024. Identification of Some Species of the Family Coccidae that Infest Fruit Orchards in Syria. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 42(2): 174-183. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-001224 Soft scale insects are serious plant pests, are often small and highly cryptic. These pests are economically important in agriculture. Insect samples and infested plant parts were collected during the period April to June 2016 and 2017 from three locations (Al-Sanobar, Daba, and Jaba) and then brought to the Biological Control Studies and Research Center (BCSRC). The following soft scale insects of the order Coccomorpha and family Coccidae were identified: Coccus pseudomagnoliarum Kuwana, in Al-Sanobar and Dabba in Lattakia governorate in Java orange orchards, Saissetia oleae Olivier and C. pseudomagnoliarum Kuwana in Pomelo citrus tree in Daba locality, Sphaerolecanium prunastri Fonscolombe at the third site Jaba, Quneitra governorate, in almond orchards, and to our knowledge is the first record in Syria. Identification and characterization of the soft scale insects was based on microscopic characters of adult female using slide-mounted specimens. Identification of pests is essential for the implementation of biological control programs. Keywords: Coccidae, soft scale insects, Syria

Design and Synthesis of Pyridine and Thiazole Derivatives as Eco-friendly Insecticidal to Control Olive Pests.

Treatment of p-tosyloxybenzaldehyde (1) with ethyl cyanoacetate afforded ethyl 2-cyano-3-(4-{[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]oxy}phenyl)acrylate (2) which reacted with some active methylene derivatives under microwave irradiation in presence of ammonium acetate yielded pyridine derivatives 3-7. On the other hand, when treatment of compound 1 with thiosemicarbazide gave 4-tosyloxybenzylidenethiosemicarbazone (8), which allowed to react with some active methylene compounds, such as: ethyl bromoacetate, chloroacetonitrile or phenacyl bromide derivatives gave thiazole derivatives 9-13. The structure of all products were confirmed by elemental and spectroscopic analyses such as IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 CNMR and mass spectra. The advanced of this method are short reaction time (3-7 min), excellent yield, pure products, and low-cost processing. In the final category, the toxicological characteristics of all compounds were tested towards Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1791) (Hemiptera: Coccidae). With respect to the LC50 values. It has been found that compound 3 possesses the highest insecticidal bioefficacy compared with other products, with values of 0.502 and 1.009 ppm, for nymphs and adults female, respectively. This study paves the way towards discovering new materials for potential use as insecticidal active agents.

PM 4/17 (3) Certification scheme for olive trees and rootstocks

<scp>PM</scp> 4/17 (3) Certification scheme for olive trees and rootstocks

Longevity and Parasitism Capacity of Psyttalia concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Fed on Sugar Solutions and Insect Honeydew

Sugars are important food sources required by adult parasitoid species to enhance their survival, fecundity and fitness. The beneficial capacity of Psyttalia concolor Szépligeti, as a biological control agent of different fruit fly pest species, is expected to increase when different sugar food sources are supplied. The objective of this study was to test the effect of seven sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, trehalose, melibiose, melezitose and sorbitol) on the longevity and parasitism capacity of P. concolor. Moreover, we evaluated the effect of two types of honeydew excreted by hemipteran pests present in olive trees, Saissetia oleae Olivier (Coccidae) and Euphyllura olivina (Costa) (Psyllidae) on the longevity of the parasitoid. Our results show a positive effect of carbohydrate (single sugars and honeydew) consumption on parasitoid survival. Female longevity increased when fed on sorbitol and melibiose, while males benefited from feeding on glucose and fructose, suggesting that hexose-nectars would benefit males. Sucrose increased the percentage of non-emerged hosts and parasitism rate while melezitose significantly decreased these percentages, compared to the other sugars offered. P.concolor benefited more from feeding on honeydew than on sugars, and this food item can represent an important source of energy for the parasitoid. This result indicates the importance of specific nutrients for promoting the action of P. concolor against pests.

FURTHER DATA ON SCALE INSECT SPECIES IN AN ORGANIC CITRUS ORCHARD IN NORTH-EASTERN TUNISIA: BIODIVERSITY, ABUNDANCE AND NATURAL ENEMIES

Elimem M., Jendoubi H., Lahfef C., Limem-Sellemi E., Ben Belgacem L., Kalboussi M., Rouz S. - Further data on scale insect species in an organic citrus orchard in north-eastern Tunisia: biodiversity, abundance and natural enemies. Faunistic studies on pests are always needed to update checklists of species in a country and enlighten the emergence of new potential species. A survey was carried out on the scale insect fauna of citrus and associated natural enemies in an organic orchard from the north-eastern of Tunisia (Zaghouan province). The occurrence, incidence, dominance and biodiversity parameters for each scale insect species were recorded. Samples of infested fruits, leaves and twigs (8 400 samples and 416 053 coccids) were collected at random from the citrus grove during three years (2017, 2019 and 2021). Eight scale insect species belonging to four families were identified: Aonidiella aurantii Maskell (1879), Parlatoria ziziphi Lucas (1853) (Diaspididae); Planococcus citri Risso (1813) (Pseudococcidae); Ceroplastes floridensis Del Guercio (1900), Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus (1758), C. pseudomagnoliarum Kuwana, Saissetia oleae Olivier (1791) (Coccidae) and Icerya purchasi Maskell (1878) (Monophlobidae). The eudominant species was P. ziziphi, presenting the highest densities (98.8%) during all the period of survey. The other coccids were classified as subrecedent species. The natural enemy fauna was limited to two coccidophagous species of ladybirds; Chilocorus bipustulatus Linnaeus (1758) which was the most dominant species and Rodolia (Novius) cardinalis Mulsant (1850). Records on scale insect fauna in Tunisia is enough completed within the citrus crop but should be extended to other fruit trees and ornamental plants. The checklist of coccids in Tunisia needs regular investigations. Key Words: Citrus, scale insects, biodiversity, natural enemies

First record of Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Algeria (North Africa) and its relationships with local Hemipterans

Algeria has a rich ant fauna with more than 340 known species, but the full extent of this diversity is little known. In this study, Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879 is recorded for the first time from Algeria. It is considered non-native for the country, taking the number of exotic ants in Algeria to 12. Data concerning its ecology is briefly extended through its relationship with local Hemipterans species and host plants. Three Hemipteran species were found as food sources for P. indica: Icerya purchasi (Maskell, 1878), Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1791), Aspidiotus hederae (Bouché) Vallot, 1829.

Evaluation of the Effect of Some Food Sources on Life Indicators of the Parasitoid Psytalia concolor

Zrayki, M., A.N. Bashir and Gh. Ibrahim. 2022. Evaluation of the Effect of Some Food Sources on Life Indicators of the Parasitoid Psytalia concolor. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 40(4): 307-314. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-40.4.307314 This study aimed to evaluate the effect of some food sources on some of the biological indicators of the parasitoid Psytalia concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In the sugar diet, the following sugar sources were used: sucrose and yeast, glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey solution, and the honeydew obtained from the black scale olive insect Saissetia oleae and Euphyllura olivina, and water as control. In the protein diet, the amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine and proline were used, with a mixture of them and distilled water as control. The results obtained showed differences in the effect of sugar type on the life span of both males and females, and the females' life span were longer than the males' life span in all tested groups, suggesting that the female's food requirements were higher than that of the males to provide energy for maturation and laying eggs. Results obtained also showed that P. concolor females fed on sucrose had lower average life span compared to other tested sugars and solid food. The protein feeding of the P. concolor parasitoid is very important because the females depend on the protein nutrition of the flowers to complete their sexual maturity. Nutrients such as proteins, amino acids and vitamins are also important for the activity and effectiveness of the insect parasitoids . Keywords: Psytalia concolor, glucose, honeydew, amino acids, Proline

Functional Response of Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Larvae on Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae): Implications for Biological Control

Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is a voracious predator of soft-bodied insects such as juveniles of scale insects and the black scale Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is an important pest of several crops, such as the olive tree. However, the predatory efficiency of C. carnea on S. oleae has been unstudied yet. The present work aimed to study the functional response of larvae of C. carnea fed on S. oleae nymphs. In a controlled laboratory environment, increasing densities of S. oleae second and third nymph stages were offered to newly emerged specimens of the three larvae instars of C. carnea. After 24 h, the number of killed S. oleae was recorded and the functional response of C. carnea was assessed. The three larval stages of C. carnea displayed a type-II functional response, i.e., killed prey increased with higher S. oleae densities up to a maximum limited by the handling time. The attack rate did not significantly differ among the three instars while the maximum attack rate was significantly higher for the third instar. The handling time of the first larval instar of C. carnea was higher than that of the third instar. Our results demonstrated that S. oleae could act as a food resource for all larval stages of C. carnea. Furthermore, the third larval stage of the predator was the most efficient in reducing S. oleae densities. These results suggest that C. carnea larvae could contribute to S. oleae control in sustainable agriculture.

Life history and population dynamics of Aspidiotus nerii (Bouche, 1833), Homoptera: Diaspididae, Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1751), Homoptera: Lecanidae and Pollinia pollini (Costa, 1857), Homoptera: Asterolecanidae on olive trees in the Blida Region (Algeria)

The work consists of a study on the level of infestation of the 3 species of olive-infused mealybugs at the two stations (Soumaa and Guerrouaou) in the Blida région, with particular attention to the évolution of Pollinia pollini (Asterolecanidae), Octaspidiotus nerii (Diaspididae) and Saissetia oleae (Lecanidae). Unlike the Soumaa station, there is a large infestation in the Guerrouaou station by the three (most abundant) species with a high rate. The life cycle monitoring and the bio-ecology of these three pests were carried out through periodic population counts on the leaves and twigs of the tree from 08 August 2016 to 29 May 2017 in the wilaya of Blida. It appears that the study of the biology of P.pollini evolves in 2 annual generations (the first is the spring generation; the second is through the summer. The larval stage remains the most abandoned compared to other developmental stages. The South orientation seems the most affectionate by P.pollini. We can conclude that O .nerii has two generations « spring and automne » depending on climatic factors. The East and West exposure represent the places most sought after by this scale where we found a relative abundance between larvae and adult females. S. oleae develops only one generation per year (automnal génération). Females are the most abundant in Soumaa station and larvae in Guerrouaou station. The eastern orientation and the automne season are the most favourable for the development of the mealybug.

Population Dynamic of Olive Black Scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) Infesting Olive Trees in Irrigated Farms in Matrouh Governorate, Egypt

The present study was carried out in Matrouh Governorate during two successive years (February, 2017- February, 2019) to investigate the population density, population age structure, number of generations, seasonal variation and effect of three weather factors (temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) onolive black scale, S. oleae infesting olive trees under irrigation system. Results concerning the fortnightly variations of the total monthly counted individuals of S. oleae /5 trees throughout the period of study revealed the presence of six variation periods in two successive years, three in spring months and three in summer months. Considering the population age structure, the immature stage was 83.3 % in 15th February, , decreased to the minimum of 54.4% of total count in 15th September, then the population was increased to constitute a large ratio during autumn and winter months in the first and second growing seasons. The adult females population started with 11.5 % of the total counted individuals in the first season, increased or/and decreased in the next months to reach the maximum of 23.3% in 1st September, then decreased in autumn and winter months. In the second season, the population took the same trend with slight difference in numbers. The gravid female population was more or less higher in March to July in both two growing seasons. The black olive scale has two generations/year according to the immature stage appearance. The first peak of immature stage individuals was recoded in June and the second in August. The seasonal variations in population densities can be ascendingly arranged as, winter, autumn, spring and summer months. The assessed simple correlation values of three weather factors (daily mean temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) with total count of S. oleae individuals were calculated. Temperature was found to have a positive significant effect on the population, while the relative humidity had an insignificant effect. Wind speed had a positive effect on population density of the olive black scale,(S. oleae).

An autoparasitoid wasp, inferior at resource exploitation, outcompetes primary parasitoids by using competitor females to produce males

1. Autoparasitoids are intraguild consumers that attack and kill heterospecific and conspecific parasitoids as well as immature stages of hemipteran hosts, such as aphids, whiteflies and soft scales. Field experiments assessing the importance of interspecific competition between autoparasitoids and primary parasitoids, as well as its impact on herbivore suppression, are scarcely found in the ecological literature.2. Using field data from 40 olive orchards, this study examined the mechanisms that regulate: (i) the interspecific competition between primary parasitoids of the genus Metaphycus and the autoparasitoid Coccophagus lycimnia; and (ii) the density of their shared herbivore host, the soft scale Saissetia oleae.3. Metaphycus parasitoids used smaller hosts than C. lycimnia, yet did not outcompete C. lycimnia. On the other hand, C. lycimnia preferred to use Metaphycus females as secondary hosts for producing males rather than their own females. This preference might explain why the autoparasitoid negatively affected the density of the primary parasitoids.4. Parasitism by the autoparasitoid C. lycimnia at the beginning of the season was the sole variable positively related to host mortality throughout the season, showing its greater effect on herbivore suppression.5. In this study, an autoparasitoid, inferior at resource exploitation, was shown to outcompete a primary parasitoid without disrupting herbivore suppression.

First Record of Cheiloneurus clαviger (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on Corfu Island

During an ongoing research programme on Saissetia oleae (Oliv.) (Homoptera: Coccidae) and its parasites on the island of Corfu, the presence of the hyperparasite Cheiloneurus clαviger (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was recorded, for the first time, in samples of parasitized Saissetia oleae in 1991. The identification of C. clagiver was made by the junior author. The adults of Cheiloneurus clαviger emerged from S. oleae females parasitized by Metaphycus lounsburyi (How.) (Hymenoptera: Encytridae), after they were placed in plastic capsules. Tables 1 and 2 give the number of adults of S. oleae, C. claviger and M. lounsburyi that emerged from S. oleae at two experimental fields. M. lounsburyi is one of the main parasitoids of S. oleae acting as an internal parasite of the fourth larval instar. The numbers of C. claviger emerged were very low compared with the numbers of M. lounsburyi, indicating that at present C. claviger is not a serious limiting factor for the population of M. lounsburyi. The presence of a group of coarse bristles at the apex of the scutellum and the long marginal vein of fore wings are the peculiarities of the genus Cheiloneurus. The incomplete infuscation of the fore wings and the colour of the antennae with only the 5th funicular segment blackish can easily allow the discrimination of C. claviger females from those of congeneric species. Cheiloneurus clαviger is reported as a hyperparasitoid of several coccids of economic impor tance mainly via other encyrtid parasitoids. In Italy, C. claviger has been found to act as a hyperparasite of Kermesidi (genus Kermes) which infest Pinoideae. Previous reports on the entomophagous fauna of S. oleae on Corfu do not include C. claviger and it is assumed that the hyperparasitoid has been introduced rather recently. The actual role oil the parasitic complex of S. oleae and the distribution of this hyperparasite on the island should be further investigated.

Key scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of high economic importance in a Mediterranean area: host plants, bio-ecological characteristics, natural enemies and pest management strategies - a review

Key scale insects that have long been considered as having high economic importance in Tunisia and for which several research studies and pest management programs have been undertaken include the mealybug species Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and Planococcus citri Risso, the soft scale Saissetia oleae (Olivier) and the armoured scale Parlatoria ziziphi (Lucas). The host plants, bio-ecological aspects, auxiliary fauna of each of the aforementioned species as well as the related economic losses and pest management strategies adopted are explored and discussed. Among these species, P. ficus is considered herein as the most economically important in Tunisia. Still, the present contribution constitutes the first review article on key scale insects infesting plants in the South Mediterranean Maghreb area.

Population Dynamics of Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on Olives

A preliminary study on fluctuation of black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae), was carried out in Algeria in order to assess population dynamics and infestation incidence on olive groves. Monitoring was conducted in two years (2014-2015) in three localities in North Algeria. The density of populations has varied from year to year and from region to region. Populations peaked in June, when crawlers emerged after the egg-laying period, and decreased during several months. Additionally, S. oleae can be considered a risky pest of olive groves in Algeria. Therefore, further studies on population dynamics are necessary for a better understanding of its biology in this Algeria.

&lt;b&gt;Parasitoids associated with the black scale &lt;i&gt;Saissetia oleae&lt;/i&gt;(Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in olive trees in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is an important pest of olive trees (Olea europaea L.) that requires the use insecticides for its control. Parasitoids are important regulating agents of this pest, but currently, no information on its complex of natural enemies and their impact on black scale in Brazilian conditions exists. This study focused on identifying parasitoid wasps that were associated with the black scale on olive trees to establish their relative abundance and rate of parasitism. Samplings were maintained in an olive orchard located in Maria da Fe, south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and infested branches were stored in emergence containers to recover parasitoids. Another group was kept in Flanders batteries to evaluate the rate of parasitism in approximately 100 scales. Sixteen parasitoid species were collected during the sampling period, and the most common species were Coccophagus caridei (Brethes) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Diversinervus elegans Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and Mesopeltita truncatipennis (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), the latter of which was most abundant and frequent. Parasitism ranged from 3 to 31% with peaks in summer and autumn. This level could be considered insufficient to hold the black scale under the economic injury level; however, these parasitoids should be preserved for contributions to population regulation.

Black Scale Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1791) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae)

The black scale is an important pest of citrus and olive trees. Originally from South Africa, this scale is now distributed worldwide. In Florida, black scale is found on citrus, cultivated olive, avocado, and many popular landscape plants. It is likely that black scale, like many invasive pests, was imported to the United States on infested nursery plants. Based on their small size and the unique life history of scale insects, these insects are difficult to detect and control. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Morgan A. Byron, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, and Sandra A. Allan, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, March 2015. (Photo credit: Lyle Buss, UF/IFAS)&#x0D; EENY620/IN1082: Black Scale Saissetia oleae (Olivier 1791) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) (ufl.edu)

Is ground cover vegetation an effective biological control enhancement strategy against olive pests?

Ground cover vegetation is often added or allowed to generate to promote conservation biological control, especially in perennial crops. Nevertheless, there is inconsistent evidence of its effectiveness, with studies reporting positive, nil or negative effects on pest control. This might arise from differences between studies at the local scale (e.g. orchard management and land use history), the landscape context (e.g. presence of patches of natural or semi-natural vegetation near the focal orchard), or regional factors, particularly climate in the year of the study. Here we present the findings from a long-term regional monitoring program conducted on four pest species (Bactrocera oleae, Prays oleae, Euphyllura olivina, Saissetia oleae) in 2,528 olive groves in Andalusia (Spain) from 2006 to 2012. Generalized linear mixed effect models were used to analyze the effect of ground cover on different response variables related to pest abundance, while accounting for variability at the local, landscape and regional scales. There were small and inconsistent effects of ground cover on the abundance of pests whilst local, landscape and regional variability explained a large proportion of the variability in pest response variables. This highlights the importance of local and landscape-related variables in biological control and the potential effects that might emerge from their interaction with practices, such as groundcover vegetation, implemented to promote natural enemy activity. The study points to perennial vegetation close to the focal crop as a promising alternative strategy for conservation biological control that should receive more attention.

Parasitoids as a bioagent to eliminate the insecticides to control the main pests-infested economic crops

Hemipterous insects are one of the important pests that attack different economic plants. A study was conducted to evaluate the biological control potential of these pests by augmentation with parasitoids, such as Microterys flavus (Howard), Metaphycus lounsburyi Howard (Encyrtidae), Encarsia sophia (Girault and Dodd), Coccophagus scutellaris (Dalman), Aphytis melinus DeBach (Aphelinidae) and Aphidius ervi Haliday (Braconidae). All the species were mass reared and monthly releases were made in fields of citrus, olive, tomato, sugar cane, mango and squash during each of 11 consecutive years (1999–2009). About 5,830,000 individuals of M. flavus, M. lounsburyi, E. sophia, C. scutellaris, A. melinus and A. ervi were released in the fields of Gharbiya, Marsa Matrouh, Daqahlyia, Qena, Qalyubiya and Behira governorates in Egypt on citrus, olive, tomato, sugar cane, mango and squash which were naturally infested by Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Coccidae), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype Q (Aleyrodidae), Pulvinaria tenuivalvata (Newstead) (Coccidae), Aulacaspis tubercularis (Newstead) (Diaspididae) and Aphis craccivora Koch (Aphididae), respectively. Population of the parasitoids and parasitism increased in field plots where releases were made when compared with where no releases were made. The maximum rate of parasitism reached 61.4, 92.1, 45.7, 59, 91 and 55.2% in the field treatment where releases were made, while parasitism peaked at 8.2, 13.5, 6, 2, 16 and 17.5% where no releases were made. The populations of M. flavus, M. lounsburyi, E. sophia, C. scutellaris, A. melinus, A. ervi were significantly correlated with the populations of C. floridensis, S. oleae, B. tabaci, P. tenuivalvata, A. tubercularis and A. craccivora during the field seasons. Additional parasitism was caused by natural infestations of Metaphycus helvolus (Compere) and M. lounsburyi (Howard) (C. floridensis), Scutellista cyanea (Motschulsky) (S. oleae), Encarsia lutea (Masi) and Eretmocerus mundus (Mercet) (B. tabaci biotype Q), Encarsia citrina (Craw) (A. tubercularis) and Aphelinus demyaati Abd-Rabou (A. craccivora). These observations enhance the understanding of the usefulness of these parasitoids after augmentation in the field.

SURVEY OF SCALE INSECTS, MEALY BUGS AND ASSOCIATED NATURAL ENEMIES ON MULBERRY TREES IN THE NILE DELTA

Sampling of two mulberry tree species namely Morus alba L. and M. nigra L. was conducted from January 2011 to December 2012 to determine the arthropod pests attacking the trees, and their associated natural enemies at Delta region. Two arthropod classes were recorded during the present study (Insecta and Arachnida). Scale insects (Asterolecanium pustulans (Ckll.), Ceroplastes rusci L., Coccus hesperidum L., Saissetia oleae (Bern.), Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targ.-Tozz.), Hemiberlesia lataniae Signoret) and mealy bugs (Icerya aegyptiaca (Dough), Icerya purchasi Maskell, Icerya seychellarum (Westw.), Ferrisia virgata (Ckll.), Planococcus citri (Risso), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green)) were surveyed as major insect pests. The minor ones were accounted for 24 species (including insects and mites). The parasitoids associated with scale insects and mealy bugs were arranged in five families, Aphytis spp., Encarsia citrina (Crawford), Anagyrus kamali Moursi, Metaphycus sp., Allotropa mecrida (Walker), Scutellista caerulea (Fonscolombe) the most occurring. As for predators, 31 insect species and 9 spiders were found associated with the two pest categories. The predatory mites were identified as two species, which regulate the spider mites. Population fluctuations of mulberry mealy bug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) were found related to the population fluctuation of Nephus bipunctatus.