Biologyical study of the oak pit scale insect, Asterodiaspis quercicola (Hem: Asterolecaniidae) of Ghalajeh oak forests of Kermanshah

The pit scale insect, Asterodiaspis quercicola (Hem: Asterolecaniidae) is restricted to oak tree, Quercus brantii and it is now prevalent in Zagros oak forest region. The biology of this pest in natural conditions was investigated on Quercus brantii (Fagaceae) during 2015-2016, for the first time in Iran (Ghalajah forests, West Islamabad). The results of this study showed that this insect is a univoltine species and overwintered as pre-reproductive female. Eggs begin to hatch in the middle of May. After one week, the crawler dispersal takes place. The egg population pick is in early July and declines in late July. The incubation and nymphal period take 23±1 and 92±2 days in average, respectively. Egg incubation time plus nymphal period take 115±1 days and the adult longevity is 53±2 days. The reproductive female starts to egg laying early April, and ends on the early August. The adult females develop through two nymphal stages; the first and second nymphals stages emerge in the late May and late June, respectively; this period lasts to the end of September. Meanwhile, the population pick of egg, first instar, second instar, pre- and post-reproductive female appears on early July, mid-July, mid-August, end of September and mid-May, respectively.