SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF Hemiberlesia lataniae (SIGN.) (HEMIPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE) ON GRAPEVINE IN QALUBYIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

Seasonal abundance of latania scale, hemiberlesia lataniae (sign.) (hemiptera: diaspididae) was conducted during two successive years (2010/2011 and 2011/2012) in vineyard orchard at el-khanka district, qalubyia governorate. the obtained results revealed three overlapping generations a year on both grapevine leaves and branches, the shortest generation occurred on grapevine leaves and branches from early or mid-august to mid-october (2.5 - 3 months) whereas the longest one appeared from early or mid-october and continued until grapevine leaves fall down or extend on grapevine branches to early february (3 - 4 months). the intermediate generation started from mid-may or early june to august or early september (3 - 3.5 months). the distribution of h. lataniae population on the grapevine leaves are varied in the year seasons, the autumn season received the highest number of insect population (61.5-63.7%) followed by summer (28.6-29.0%) and winter seasons (5.9 - 8.3%) whereas spring season received the lesser number (1.4 - 1.6%). the same trend was found on the grapevine branches, the autumn season received the highest portion of insect population (33.6 - 47.2%) followed by summer (26.1%) and winter seasons (15.2 - 33.3%) whereas spring season received the lower portion (6.9-11.5%). the seasonal abundance of h. lataniae on grapevine affected greatly with the daily mean temperature and %r.h. the combined effect of both factors contributed with 60.4 and 57.4% of the total population changes in the first and second years.