Pesticidi i Fitomedicina (Jan 2011)
Jumping Plant – Louse Cacopsylla (Hepatopsella) bidens (Šulc, 1907) (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) New Pest on Pear in Serbia
Abstract
The problem of jumping plant – lice, an important pest on pear, appeared in the middle of the twentieth century and represents a direct consequence of pear cultivation on large areas with intensive application of agrotechnical, pomotechnical and chemical protectionmeasures. Three species of jumping plant – lice are known on pear in Serbia: Cacopsylla pyri, C. pyrisuga i C. pyricola, among which C. pyri is the most important pest in intensive orchards. During jumping plant – lice fauna research in Serbia, besides these three species, another one was determined as well - Cacopsylla bidens.In the period from 2005 to 2010, the presence and harmfulness of C. bidens were determined at 56 localities, both in intensive and extensive pear orchards. Besides on cultivated pears, C. bidens was also determined on wild species of Pyrus genus. In our conditions, C. bidens overwinters in adult stage on pear. The activation of theadults that have overwintered occurs at the beginning of March. The extended period of oviposition provides permanent presence of all developmental stages on plant, so the generations overlap. It can develop 3 to 4 generations per year. Since this is the first record of the species in Serbia, this paper describes basic morphological characteristics of the species, development cycle and distribution.
