Insect pests on Bougainvillea glabra with description of Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara De Willink - a new species in Bulgarian greenhouses

Anlelia Pencheva, Maria Yovkova, Dimitar Kozarov

Abstract: Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America (Brazil). The most common species from this genus is Bougainvillea glabra. It is popular for its papery and showy purple bracts, which outshine its small white flowers. Bougainvillea is attacked by several pests – mealybugs, aphids, whiteflies, thrips and mites. The aim of the present study was to determine the pest complex on Bougainvillea plants grown in ornamental nurseries, garden centers and botanical gardens in our country. Fifteen greenhouses with Bougainvillea plants were periodically surveyed from March 2008 to September 2011. The results indicated that up to date B. glabra is attacked by 5 sap sucking pests: Aphis craccivora, Aphis fabae, Myzus persicae, Pseudococcus longispinus and Phenacoccus peruvianus. The first four species are polyphagous pests and are common for Bulgarian greenhouses. P. peruvianus is an invasive mealybug of Neotropical origin and it has been introduced in Europe in 1999. Since then it has established itself as a key pest of the Bougainvillea genus in nurseries and urban landscapes of Mediterranean region and under glass in England. The presence of P. peruvianus in Bulgaria is reported for the first time in the present study. Detailed descriptions of its morphology, biology and distribution are presented.

Keywords: aphids; Bougainvillea glabra; Bulgaria; invasive species; mealybugs; Phenacoccus peruvianus

Date published: 2017-08-03