Evaluation of the Efficacy of Conventional and Non-Conventional Insecticides on Fig Wax Scale Ceroplastes rusci L. (Homoptera: Coccidae) and Its Parasitoid, Scutellista Cyanea Motsch (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

The effects of dormant and summer sprays with conventional and non-conventional insecticides were evaluated against fig wax scale Ceroplastes rusci L. (Homoptera: Coccidae), in the field and in the plastic house in 2006 and 2007.Adding of insecticides to mineral oils did not improve significantly the efficacy of this oil in 2006. Dormant spray with mineral oil in combinations with Ultracidin, Confidor and Dursban corresponded to 98.5%, 92.2% and 87.7% of mortality in 2007. The summer application of Actara, Dursban and Patron gave sufficient control of fig wax scale (FWS). FWS fecundity was significantly affected by the different treatments. The effects of dormant and summer spray on the parasitoid S. cyanea Motsch (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were also considered. Percentages of parasitism in all insecticides were significantly lower than the control. The lowest number of S. cyanea were in Actara, Patron and Dursban