Subtropical-pest
Guides
Ferrisia virgata
striped mealybug, grey mealybug
Ferrisia virgata, commonly known as the striped mealybug, is a highly polyphagous pest species in the family Pseudococcidae. First described from Jamaica in 1893, it spread globally within approximately a decade and is now established in all tropical and subtropical zoogeographic regions. The species is recognized by two dark dorsal longitudinal stripes and is a significant agricultural pest with a host range spanning over 203 genera in 77 plant families. It vectors plant badnavirus diseases affecting cocoa and black pepper, and has been demonstrated to acquire but not effectively transmit 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', the bacterium associated with citrus huanglongbing.
Russellaspis
oleander pit scale, fig pit scale
Russellaspis is a genus of armored scale insects (Asterolecaniidae) known primarily from the species R. pustulans, commonly called the oleander pit scale or fig pit scale. These insects are parthenogenetic, with no known males, and are significant agricultural pests on fruit trees and ornamental plants in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The genus is characterized by its pit-inducing feeding damage on host plants and its ability to complete multiple generations annually under favorable conditions.