MICROCERPSYLLA NIGRA CRAWFORD A SERIOUS PEST ATTACKING MANGOS SHOOTS

This paper,for the first time,reports that Microcerpsylla nigra Craw-ford is an insect pest often causing serious damage to mango shoots in mango planting areas of southern Yunnan,The eggs of the pests are laid on the surface of the purblish young leaves and tender shoots.The pale yellowish nymphs attack the tender tissues and top leaves and suck the plant sap,They excrete whitish sticky droplets from their anuses.Under the damage twigs and leaflets,the topsoil is wetted by the excrements.As a result,the attacked shoots dry up and leaflets curl and fall.There will be no fruit settings during the next 2 to 3 years.The irritation caused by the feeding of the aduits makes the mid-and-mar-ginal veins of leaflets form little galls and the leaflet margins become uptuurned and curled.The life history of this pest was observed.Eggs,nymphs and adult periods are 7 to 8,20 to 25,and 330 days respectively.A single female lays an average of 180 eggs from the and of February to middle March.Nymph hatching and adult emergence take place from late March to early April and mid April to early March next year respectively.There is only one generation a year.By spraying 0.01% Fenvalerae 20% E.C.,good controlling effectson the nymphs and adults were abtained.