Role of ecological factors on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly

Ecological factors played the major role on the survival and mortality of Citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby which was studied by constructing life tables of the pest. Abiotic factors like desiccation and wind, and biotic factors namely egg infertility and molting problems were found to be the critical factors for all the stages of the pest followed by predation and parasitisation. Egg stage recorded heavy mortality followed by fourth instar nymphal stage. Serangium parcesetosum Sicard (Coccinellidae) and Mallada boninensis Okamoto (Chrysopidae) among predators and Encarsia bennetti Hayat and Eretmoceros gunturlensis Hayat among parasitoids were predominantly responsible for the mortality of the pest.