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.