Gray field ant vs. grape mealybug: a progress report

摘要

Grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhom), was first described in 1900 from specimens infesting the roots of coastal buckwheat near Santa Cruz, Calif. and was termed the "ocean mealybug." It is considered native to North America and has a widehost range that includes grape, pear, apple, apricot, alfalfa, walnut, ceanothus and citrus. Essig first described mealybug infestations in vineyards in central California in 1914, observing high mealybug densities in 1910 and 1911. Essig did not view the Fresno County infestation and mistakenly attributed the damage there to citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) which, at that time, was conmmonly found infesting citrus in southern California. Again, in 1918, reference was made to grape mealybug being found frequently On grapes in Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties and as far north as Red Bluff. Currently, grape mealybug has become the key arthropod pest for California table grape growers. It is also reported as a serious pest in Washington, Colorado and Oregon vineyards and pome fruit orchards.