Blumberg, D.
Swirski, E., Dept. of Entomology, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

The response of three soft scales: the pyriform scale -Protopulvinaria pyriformis (Cockerell), the mango shield scale -Protopulvinaria mangiferae (Green), and the capparis soft scale -Coccus capparidis (Green), to paiasitization by the parasite Metaphycus swirskii Annecke & Mynhardt (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae), was studied. Although the parasite was able to complete its development in any of these three host species, different rates of mortality of parasite immatures were recorded in the various hosts. Parasite mortality in P. pyriformis was due to egg encapsulation only and was higher in the field than under laboratory conditions (53.1%vs. 27.7%, respectively). In P. mangiferae a total of 55.4% mortality was observed, while in C. capparidis it reached only 14.0%, rendering the latter the most suitable of the three soft scales tested, for successful development of M. swirskii. © 1984 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.