Ceroplastes sinensis

Found in commercial citrus groves and on other woody host plants in temperate climates. In Mediterranean regions, occurs in cultivated citrus orchards. In Australia, recorded from Acacia baileyana in urban and agricultural settings. Climatically more restricted than previously believed, with distribution mainly in temperate zones.

Native range predicted to be Central or South America based on cladistic analysis; confirmed by discovery of heavily parasitized populations in Argentina. Established populations: Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory), New Zealand, Mediterranean Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily), North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Madeira, Canary Islands), North America (USA: California, North Carolina, Virginia; Mexico), Central and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, Trinidad), Asia (China, Iran, Lebanon, Philippines, Syria), and Pacific Islands (Solomon Islands, Norfolk Island).

Completes a single annual generation in temperate regions. Egg oviposition begins in May and continues until mid-July. Egg hatching begins mid-June, with maximum percentage of hatched eggs reached in first quarter of August.

Phloem-feeding on host plant sap.

• Citrus - primary hostmajor commercial crop pest
• Ficus - hostfigs
• Vitis - hostgrape
• Pyrus - hostpear
• Acacia baileyana - hostAustralian record

Completes a single annual generation in temperate climates. Females produce eggs that are retained under the waxy covering. Males occur but comprise only about 3% of the population; males have 6 instars including a true third instar. Overwinters as eggs or immature stages under the protective waxy scale covering.

Sedentary as adults and most immature stages; sessile feeding on plant stems and leaves. Males are mobile in some instars.

Herbivore and agricultural pest. Serves as host for multiple parasitoid species including Coccophagus ceroplastae, Metaphycus helvolus, Scutellista caerulea (or S. cyanea), and Aprostocetus ceroplastae. In its native range, high parasitism rates suggest natural enemy regulation; in invaded ranges, parasitoid abundance often too low to suppress populations effectively.

Significant pest of commercial citrus production causing economic damage. Subject to integrated pest management programs with developed sampling plans targeting 12-20% invaded twigs or 0.2-0.5 females per twig. Recommended sample sizes: 90-160 twigs per grove for enumerative plans, 160-245 twigs for binomial plans. Biological control introductions attempted but hampered by uncertainty of native origin until resolved by cladistic analysis.

• Ceroplastes destructorcongeneric pest of citrus in New Zealand and other regions; distinguished by morphological features of waxy covering and host preferences
• Ceroplastes ceriferuscongeneric wax scale with similar biology; cladistic analysis suggests Neotropical origin for C. ceriferus versus Central/South American origin for C. sinensis
• Ceroplastes rubenscongeneric wax scale; cladistic analysis suggests Afrotropical origin for C. rubens versus Central/South American origin for C. sinensis

• scale insect
• citrus pest
• biological control
• invasive species
• integrated pest management
• wax scale
• Hemiptera
• Coccidae
• parthenogenesis
• thelytoky
• cladistic biogeography

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
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• Ceroplastes sinensis . [Distribution map].
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