World Crop Pests – serie

In spite of the extensive attention given by research workers to aphids no comprehensive review has been published covering all aspects of aphid biology. A few small books exist on certain aspects of nomenclature, ecology, physiology and natural enemies. Aphid biology is studied by many specialists, all representing their own area of interest, therefore the only way to present this comprehensive review is by the multi-author approach. This three-volume work is compiled in a similar way to the first books in the series World Crop Pests: Spider Mites. The volumes contain contributions by more than 40 authors. In this first volume an account is given on morphology and systematics, anatomy, genetics, life cycles, ways of life, reproduction and polymorphism and interaction with the environment. These topics are followed by an in-depth study of evolution of aphids, especially in connection with the evolution of plants. In addition processes governing the development of population structure and speciation are elicited.

This volume presents an up-to-date account of armored scale insects (Homoptera: Diaspididas), a family of highly specialized insects, many of which are important agricultural pests. Being sedentary, colonial and rather cryptic, many species have invaded new countries with important host plants. This has made them prime targets for biological control by natural enemies.No other book has attempted to present such a rounded picture of this important group. It covers all aspects: morphology, systematics, phylogeny, biology, ecology, natural enemies (pathogens, predators, parasites), pest status, control measures (quarantine, eradication, monitoring, chemical control, biological control, mechanical control, integrated control), as well as pest problems and control on specific crops, from a worldwide perspective.The armored scale insects: their morphology, systematics and phylogeny; reproductive biology and genetics; development biology and physiology; ecology; and techiques for their study is handled in Volume A.The book is intended for a broad audience: professional entomologists, extension specialists, pest control operators and advanced horticulturists and agriculturists, as well as biologists, naturalists and environmentalists (the latter should find the strong emphasis on natural enemies and biological control of interest).

Soft Scale Insects is intended to be a further step towards providing comprehensive information on soft scale insects. Four or five decades ago, entomologists embarking on a study on soft scale insects would have encountered a scarcity of general text books or comprehensive treatise of the family, as a starting point for their research. At the time, the available knowledge and data were either scattered among numerous articles or regional monographs or were in obsolete books. It is hoped that this volume will cover almost the entire spectrum of the knowledge on the soft scale insect family, Coccidae. This book comprises six chapters and begins by discussing the natural enemies of soft scale insects, such as pathogens like entomopathogenic fungi; predators like coccineilidae and other coleoptera; and parasitoids like encyrtidae. It then discusses issues of damage and control, including pest status of soft scale insects and coccid pests of important crops. This book will be of interest to entomologists, horticulturists, zoologists, biologists, and those involved in general agricultural research.

The economic importance of Tortricidae in agriculture and forestry is great: crops and forests in the temperate climatic zones suffer considerable loss due to this lepidopterous family. This volume covers the entire spectrum from taxonomy, morphology and physiology to chemical and biological control. It will provide an opening to the scientifc literature on Tortricidae for scientists in research institutions, universities and experimental stations. The indices include entries for synonyms referring to the species names used in this volume.