Efficacy of some oils and chemical compounds on Insignorthezia insignis (Browne) (Hemiptera: Ortheziidae) infesting Lantana camara in Alexandria, Egypt.

Field and laboratory experiments were conducted in March, 2008 in El-Nouzha garden, Alexandria governorate. Pre-and post treatment inspections of the insects were examined and recorded before and after (2,4,8, and 12 weeks). Spraying was applied to evaluate the efficiency of the tested compounds, [Mineral oils (KZ oil and Star oil); IGRs (Chlorfluazuron, lufenuron and pyriproxyfen); Neem oil; emamectin benzoate and thiamethoxam]. Percentages of reduction were calculated. The ensign scale insects Insignorthezia insignis (Browne) were collected from treated Lantana camara shrubs to investigate the effect of the tested chemicals on Aspartate transferase (AST), Alanine transferase (ALT) and Alkaline-phosphatase (ALPK) of the insect enzymes activities. From the obtained results, it could be concluded that the tested materials gave good results for controlling both adult and immature stages of the ensign scale insect Insignorthezia insignis (Browne) that infested Lantana camara shrubs, through affecting enzymes activities of the assigned insect pest.

Comparative analysis of three scale insect species populations (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) and their parasitoid, Aphytis diaspidis(Howard) on pear trees in Burg el-Arab area, Alexandria, Egypt.

The infestation abundance of each of the inspected scale insect species: San Jose scale, Diaspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock), Greedy scale, Hemiberlisio rapax (Comstock) and Olive scale, Parlatoria oleae (Cloveé) on pear trees, more or less varied as the months of each growing season differed. The comparative abundance percentages in both seasons of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 were (51.80 and 51.40), (41.20 and 40.90) and (7.10 and 7.70) of the counted individuals of the grand total of H. rapax, D. perniciosus and P. oleae, in respect. In other words, the Greedy scale (GS) was the highly abundant scale followed by the San Jose scale (SJS), but the olive scale represented the lowest one. The more or less increased and/or decreased abundance of each of the investigated scale insect species pointed to the existence of three overlapping generations throughout the season which were characterized by fluctuating peaks of population densities of the studied pests during the months of each annual season: autumn, winter, spring and summer.

The population dynamics of Fiorinia fioriniae (Targioni) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) and factors affecting its seasonal abundance in Egypt.

Fiorinia fioriniae (Targioni) was observed attacking Callistemon lanceolatus at the Experimental Farm of the Agricultural Research Station and Ruscus hypoglossum at Antoniades park in Alexandria Governorate; Egypt. The infestation rate on Ruscus hypoglossum, reached its maximum (98.0%) during autumn months, while the minimum rate 68.3%, was recorded during summer months. The fluctuating population density of F. fioriniae showed three distinct peaks. The first peak of 731.0 individuals/10 branches was recorded in October 1998, the second (734.1) in December 1998, and the third, (506.9) in April 1999. The highest number of counted insects (1991.1/plant) was observed during the autumn season, followed by winter (1467.9), spring (978.2) seasons and the least number (271.6/plant) was recorded in summer. On the contrary, the highest rate of infestation by the immature stages was recorded during the winter season, followed by spring, summer and autumn seasons (42.8, 29, 24.6 and 21.9%) of the total counted insects, respectively. The scale insect has been parasitized with the aphelinid species Encarsia citrina (Aphelinidae) with a maximum rate of 28.1 of the total count during August. The statistical analysis was performed for determining the relationship between the prevailing weather factors of daily mean temperature, daily relative humidity, wind speed and day-light in one hand and the population activity of F. fioriniae on R. hypoglossum plants on the other hand.

The bionomics of the scale insect Eriococcus araucariae (Muskell) (Homoptera: Eriococcidae) on Araucaria excelsa in Egypt.

The eriococcid species, Eriococcus araucariae (Muskell) is considered as an economic pest of Araucaria excelsa at Montazah garden, in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. This study was carried out from June, 1998 till May, 1999. The obtained data revealed that the numbers of this insect were relatively low in autumn and winter months, then increased from the beginning of May to a total number/tree 72.0 +/- 1.60; continued its increase to reach 200.3 +/- 36.9/tree from the 2nd half of May and during June, July and August, with the highest number of inspected individuals (641.3 +/- 76.8/tree) in the 1st half of July. Thereafter, population began to decrease again from the beginning of September up to the end of April, decreased numbers 51.3 +/- 2.5/tree in the 1st half of September and (1.3 +/- 0.1/tree) in the 2nd half of October. Similarly, the occurrence of both immature stages and adults was also month-dependant all the year round. Adult males appeared three times in June, January and late March. There was a positive and significant relationship between the total population of E. araucariae and the daily mean temperature, wind speed and day light. This relation was negatively significant with the relative humidity.

Ecological studies on the snow scale insect, Lineaspis striata (Newstead) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) on Thuja orientalis in Egypt.

The snow scale insect, Lineaspis striata (Newstead) was recorded as an important insect pest of Thuja orientalis in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. The present study revealed that the total individuals were in high numbers, (143.7 +/- 43; 141.8 +/- 20.7 and 149.0 +/- 48.5) during May, June and January, respectively. The fluctuating numbers of the immature stages have two peaks during June and November (6.9 +/- 0.7) and (20.5 +/- 5.0), respectively. The numbers of adult males reached the maximum (73.9 +/- 7.5) in October, while the females reached the maximum (88.7 +/- 2.2) in January. The insect has two annual generations. It is usually parasitized with Encarsia citrina (Aphelinidae), with maximum parasitization rate of 17.8 +/- 2.8 during August.

Survey of scale insects of ornamental plants in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt.

This investigation covers a survey of the scale insects associating with some ornamental plants at three chosen public gardens as well as at the experimental farm of the Agricultural Research Station in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. A total of nineteen scale insect species belonging to sixteen genera related to four families of the super-family Coccoidea were found infesting eighteen ornamental plants during the period from April, 1998 up to March, 1999. These species are: Family: Asterolecaniidae--Represented by one species only The fig scale Russelaspis pustulans; (Cockerell) = (Asterolecanium pustulans Cock). Family: Coccidae--Represented by the seven species Florida wax scale. Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, Green shield scale. Chloropulvinaria psidii (Maskell), Long brown scale. Caccus elongatus (Douglas), Brown soft scale Coccus hesperidum (Linn.), Tessellated scale. Eucalymnatus tessellatus (Signoret), Hemispherical scale. Saissetia coffeae (Walker), and Olive soft scale. Saissetia oleae (Olivier) Family: Diaspididae--Represented by the ten species: Oleander scale. Aspidiotus hederae (Vallot), Minute cypress scale. Carulaspis minima (Targioni-Tozzetti), Dictyosprmum scale Chrysomphalus dictyospermi (Morgan), Palm fiorinia scale. Fiorinia fioriniae (Targioni), Latania scale Hemiberlisia lataniae (Signoret), Fig scale. Lepidosaphes ficus (Signoret), Snow scale. Lineaspis striata (Newstead), Masked scale. Mycetaspis personata (Comstock), Olive scale. Parlatoria oleae (Colvee), and White peach scale Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni-Tozzetti), Family: Eriococcidae--Represented by one species only Eriococcus araucariae (Maskell). During the same study, many species of natural enemies (nine parasitoids and eight predators), were also noticed to be associated with the aforementioned scale insects.

Pregnancy wastage.

PIP: This study of early and late pregnancy wastage performed at 3 Egyptian teaching hospitals to assess the magnitude of the problem, detect its causes and recommend measures that will eliminate such causes and reduce pregnancy wastage. As defined here, pregnancy wastage includes abortion and perinatal mortality. In Egypt early pregnancy wastage varies between 23.8%-36.57%, and late pregnancy wastage between 15.3%-88%. The results of these studies show that spontaneous abortion is high among low socio-economic class and high parity groups. The incidence of spontaneous abortion is found to vary with wife's education, husband's education, wife's age, age at marriage, parity and order of living children. The perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) showed variation with socioeconomic factors, biomedical factors, primary antenatal condition of expectant mothers and manpower training. Results indicate a high PNMR among mothers who were not booked at a hospital and only came to the hospital for the 1st time in labour, among those patients in labour who were referred to the hospital by traidtional birth attendants, as opposed to a general practitioner, and among non-paying patients. Moreover, the PNMR was high for non-educated mothers and for those who had never received any antenatal care. The highest PNMR was among those women who had received 8 or more antenatal visits as they represent the high risk patients. With respect to biomedical factors, the PNMR was found to vary with the maternal age groups, parity, outcome of the last pregnancy and gestational age. Additional contributing factors were pre-existing maternal diseases like anemia, toxemia of pregnancy, diabetes mellitus and antepartum hemorrhage. Finally, analysis of PNMR in this study shows that PNMR varies with the degree of skill of the birth attendant and his/her awareness of the problem of PNMR and the hospital's recording system. The analysis of perinatal mortality cases revealed that most of the underlying causes are preventable. The analysis also showed that 45% of the cases occured in the antepartum period, 30% in the intrapartum period and 25% in the postpartum period. The significant loss in the postpartum period is a strong reason for the obstetrician to work in close contact with the neonatologist to reduce the PNMR. The pregnancy wastage rate in Egypt and other developing countries can be markedly reduced by bettering socioeconomic standards, promoting the use of effective contraception, improving health services, health education obstetric practice, and manpower training, and by establishing neonatal units and a proper recording system.^ieng