Aspidiotus nerii Bouché, 1833

Mifsud, David, Mazzeo, Gaetana, Russo, Agatino & Watson, Gillian W., 2014, The scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of the Maltese Archipelago, Zootaxa 3866 (4), pp. 499-525 : 507

Aspidiotus nerii Bouché, 1833

Borg (1898; 1919) recorded this species under three different names: Aspidiotus hederae , A. limon and A. nerii . Borg (1922a: 77, 242, 337, 381) recorded it (as Aspidiotus limonii Signoret ) being “very prevalent in our Citrus groves; as common on pear; a frequent source of trouble on our peach and nectarine trees; and as common on cherries”. Borg (1932) recorded this species as “very common on ivy, oleander, acacias, olive trees, carob trees, lemon trees, cycads, agave , roses, caper bush, etc”. It was also recorded by Saliba (1963) as common on almond, cherry, citrus, carob, mulberry, peach, pear and plum. Haber & Mifsud (2007) said that the scale was rather frequent on Malta, Gozo and Comino.

Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, 9.iii.1994, 3 ♀♀ on Olea europaea, DM ; Rabat, 12.iii.1994, 1 ♀ on Pittosporum sp. , GW; Mosta, 12.iii.1994, 2 ♀♀ on O. europaea, SC ; Mosta, 13.iii.1994, 5 ♀♀ on O. europaea, BW ; Mosta, 13.iii.1994, 7 ♀♀ on Dracaena, GW ; Burmarrad, 14.iii.1994, 4 ♀♀ on Chamaerops, DM ; Mosta, 16.iii.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Pittosporum sp. , GW; Mistra Valley, 24.iv.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Ceratonia siliqua, DM ; Mosta, 23.vi.1994, 3 ♀♀ on Asparagus sp. , DM; Mosta, 23.vi.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Hedera helix, DM ; Marsa, Għammieri, 7.xi.1996, 4 ♀♀ on O. europaea, CF ; Wied Ħas-Sabtan, 20.xii.1996, 6 ♀♀ on Teucrium flavum, DM ; Marsa, Għammieri, 24.ii.1997, 4 ♀♀ on Morus sp. , CF; Rabat, 12.iii.1994, 7 ♀♀ on Euonymus sp. , CC; Marsa, Għammieri, 9.i.1999, 1 ♀ on Ceratonia siliqua, CF ; Marsa, Għammieri, 23.ii.2007, 5 ♀♀ on O. europaea, DM ; Qawra, 12.ii.2012, 6 ♀♀ on O. europea and Pittosporum tobira, CM ; Valletta, Upper Barrakka Gardens, 13.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on P. tobira, CM ; Valletta, St. John Square, 13.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on Strelitzia, CM ; Qawra, 14.ii.2012, 6 ♀♀ on Nerium oleander and Cycas revoluta, CM ; Mdina, 15.ii.2012, 4 ♀♀ on O. europaea, CM ; Vittoriosa, 16.ii.2012, 12 ♀♀ on O. europaea , Hedera helix and Yucca sp. , CM; Floriana, St. Philip’s Garden, 18.ii.2012, 4 ♀♀ on Nerium oleander, CM ; Sliema, 18.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on Strelitzia, CM. GOZO, Kercem, Dawara Valley, 16.iii.1994, 3 ♀♀ on Howardia, JC ; Xewkija, 16.iii.1994, 9 ♀♀ on Erica multiflora, DM.