title: Seasonal biology of Ferrisia gilli (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in California Sierra foothill vineyards.
abstract: The mealybug Ferrisia gilli Gullan is an emerging pest of wine grapes grown in California's Sierra foothills. A relatively new species, it had previously been recorded as a pest of pistachio, almond, and ornamentals. It was first reported on grape in El Dorado County in 2003 and has since established and spread. Nondestructive monitoring of grape vine sections was conducted in untreated vineyard plots and compared with destructive sampling conducted in grower-treated plots in 2008 and 2009 to determine F. gilli life stage seasonal presence, number of generations, location on the vine during the season, and damage potential to fruit clusters. Two generations were observed to be completed during the season. F. gilli overwintered under the bark at the base of the trunk, trunk, and cordon as second and third instars. Adults were found at the base of emerging shoots (spring) or on and under bark of old and new spurs. Live crawlers were born in June (first generation) and late August to September (second generation), and migrated to leaves to feed before moving to protected locations under bark or into fruit clusters. Lower mealybug densities and fruit damage were recorded on vines with than without insecticide treatment(s). Parasitized mealybugs were collected in low numbers and an Acerophagus sp. was the dominant parasitoid.
authors.affiliation: University of California Cooperative Extension, Central Sierra Region, 311 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667, USA. Irwunderlich@ucanr.edu
authors.forename: Lynn R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Wunderlich
authors.forename: Monica L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Kent M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Daane
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012621:Seasons; D027843:Vitis