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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169213
Title: PSEUDOCOCCUS GOODENIAE (HEMPIPTERA: PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOIDS IN THE PILBARA OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Author
item Goolsby, John
item KIRK, ALAN - USDA-ARS-EBCL

Submitted to: Australian Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2004
Publication Date: 12/1/2004
Citation: Goolsby, J., Kirk, A. Pseudococcus goodeniae (Hempiptera: Pseudococcidae) and its parasitoids in the Pilbara of western Australia. Australian Entomologist. 32: 1-4

Interpretive Summary: This work was done as part of a exploration program for biological control agents of the pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), a pest of citrus and ornamentals in California, Florida and the Caribbean countries. While we were surveying for the pink hibiscus mealybug in the Pilbara region of Western Australia we came upon the mealybug Pseudococcus goodeniae Williams in great abundance on its native host plant. We collected P. goodeniae and reared out its parasitoids. This mealybug had only been collected one time previously and very little is known about its biology or natural enemies. If at some point in the future this mealybug becomes a pest, this paper will provide valuable information for a biological control program.

Technical Abstract: Several parasitoid species were reared from Pseudococcus goodeniae Williams in Karijini National Park of Western Australia including: Xenanusia pulchripennis, Euryischia sp., Procheiloneurus sp., two spp. of Encyrtinae and a Scelionidae sp. The mealybug was observed at high densities on its host plant Goodenia stobbsiana.