Description

Adult

Testa of female is almost circular, ca. 1.5-2.2 mm in diameter, dark grey to light brown with a central raised nipple. The first instar exuviae have a craterlike appearance, while young adult females are pear shaped and yellow. Pygidium with 2 pairs of well-developed lobes, notched on margin. Males have a single pair of yellow wings and an orange body.

Nymphs

Young nymphs are mobile, yellow with 3 pairs of short legs. Once affixed to a location a white scale is produced that becomes grey then black with age.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan

Economic Host(s)

Highly polyphagous, attacking a wide range of plants, in particular apple, pear, plum, cherry & black currant.

Symptoms/Signs

Wandering nymphs prefer to settle on woody parts of plants but will also settle on fruits and leaves. On leaves their presence produces necrotic spots and on fruits red spot occurs – conspicuous red colouration around the colony. Sap feeding can harm plants and red spot and cracking can occur on bark.

Generations:

2-5