Biological aspects of spruce bud scale Physokermes piceae (Schrank, 1801) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the steppe zone of Ukraine

Spruce bud scale Physokermes piceae (Schrank, 1801) is a dangerous pest of natural spruce forests and man-made amenity plantations. In the steppe zone of Ukraine spruce is represented exclusively by introduced species, therefore this bud scale has the status of an invader. From its initial invasion in 1983 until 2020, four increases in abundance of spruce bud scale lasting for 2–3 years have been observed. Despite this, there were no previous studies focused on the biology of this pest in the steppe zone of Ukraine. This work is based on the materials collected in 2018–2020 in 17 model areas of city green spaces in Donbass, located within the steppe zone of Ukraine. The study focused on the number of species of the genus Physokermes in the region, their phenology, trophic preferences, distribution pattern in the food plant crown, and the spread throughout urban plantations. In the researched area the genus Physokermes is represented by one species, namely P. piceae. Biological characteristics of the spruce bud scale in the Ukraine’s steppe is only insignificantly different from the data reported for the forest and forest-steppe zones. This fact is indicative of the naturalization of this phytophagous insect in the researched area. However, a number of differences were noted in the distribution of the spruce bud scale along the host plant. Showing no confinement to the crown layers and expositions, the studied bud scale goes deep into the crown and undergoes transition to feeding on a 3-, 4-, and 5-year growth, which is probably associated with high summer temperatures and low air humidity. In the collection of the Donetsk Botanical Garden, P. piceae damaged Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., P. obovata Ledeb., P. orientalis (L.) Peterm., and P. pungens Engelm with varying intensity. The study has identified a group of unsusceptible species, namely Picea asperata Mast., P. engelmannii Parry ex Engelm., P. koraiensis Nakai., and P. omorika (Pancic) Purk. In Donbass, P. piceae is found in all types of the city green plantings with spruce. Despite the phytophagous insect's population density, we observed no overall decay and loss of ornamental characteristics in spruce in green spaces of the steppe zone of Ukraine.

1. E., Arslangündoğdu Z., Selmi E. Contribution to the knowledge of scale insects (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of coniferous trees from Turkey. Journal of Biological Sciences, 2006, vol. 6, no. 3, рр. 591–595.

2. Baders E., Jansons A., Matisons R., Elferts D., Desaine I. Landscape diversity for reduced risk of insect damage: a case study of spruce bud scale in Latvia. Forests, 2018, vol. 9, no. 545, рр. 1–15.

3. Batsankalashvili M., Kaydan M.B., Kirkitadze G., Japoshvili G. Updated checklist of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) in Sakartvelo (Georgia). Annals of Agrarian Science, 2017, vol. 15, рр. 252–268.

4. Borchsenius N.S. Subtribe mealybugs and scales (Coccoidea). Soft scale insects Coccidae. Fauna of the USSR. M.; L.: Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1957. T. 9. 493 p. (In Russ.)

5. Diminic D., Hrasovec B. The role of diseases and pests in tree species selection in landscape architecture. Agronomy journal, 2005, vol. 2–4, рр. 309–325.

6. Dokhov M.A., Tikhomirova A.A., Vaulin G.F. Nonparametric criteria in the «Statistica» program. Study guide. SPb.: SPSPMU, 2019. 40 p. (In Russ.)

7. Gedminas A., Lynikiene J., Marciulynas A., Povilaitiene A. Effect of Physokermes piceae Schrank. on shoot and needle growth in Norway spruce stands in Lithuania. Baltic Forestry, 2015, vol. 2, no. 1, рр. 162–169.

8. Graora D. Spasic R., Mihailovic L. Bionomy of spruce bud scale, Physokermes piceae (Schrnk.) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the Belgrade area, Serbia. Archives of Biological Sciences. Belgrade, 2012, vol. 64, no. 1, рр. 337–343.

9. Grjibovsky А.М. Analysis of three and more independent groups of quantitative data. Human Ecology, 2008, pp. 50–58. (In Russ.)

10. Gubin A.I., Martynov V.V. Longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Donetsk industrial-urban agglomeration. 2. Annotated list of species: Lamiinae. General analysis. Industrial Botany, 2018, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 16–28. (In Russ.)

11. Hellrigl K. Faunistics of Homoptera Sternorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera) in South Tyrol (N-Italy). Forest Observer, 2004, vol. 1, рр. 55–100.

12. Holsten E., Hennon P., Trummer L., Kruse J., Schultz M., Lundquist J. Insects and diseases of Alaskan forests. 2008. 247 p.

13. Klausnitzer B., Forester G. On the knowledge of the parasitoids of female spruce bud scale Physokermes piceae Schrk. and Physokermes hemicryphus Dalm. From the Forestry Section of the Technical University of Dresden, Biology. Leipzig, 1976, vol. 13, no. 1, рр. 85–92.

14. Kollar J. The harmful entomofauna of woody plants in Slovakia. Acta Entomologica Serbica, 2007, vol. 12, no. 1, рр. 67–79.

15. Kolomoets T.P. Pests of greenspace of industrial Donbass. Kiev: Naukova dumka, 1995: 214 p. (In Russ.)

16. Kolomoets T.P., Vorobiev N.M. Methods of protecting green spaces from pests in Donetsk. Plant introduction and acclimatization. Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 1987, no. 7, pp. 70–72. (In Russ.)

17. Kosztarab М., Kozar F. Scale insects of Central Europe. Budapest: Akademia Kiado, 1988. 456 p.

18. Kotova E.E., Malchikhina Ya.V. The main pest of spruce trees in green plantations of Omsk. Young scientist. Kazan, 2012, vol. 11, no. 46, pp. 123–126. (In Russ.)

19. Kozar F. Catalogue of Palearctic Coccoidea. Budapest, Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1998. 526 p.

20. Kozar F. New Data to the Knowledge of Scale-Insects of Bulgaria, Greece and Rumania (Homoptera: Coccoidea). Hungarian works on phytopathology and entomology, 1985, vol. 20, no. 1–2, рр. 201–205.

21. Kozarzhevskaya E.F. Pests of Ornamental Plants – armoured scales, soft scales, mealybugs. Moscow: Nauka, 1992. 359 p. (In Russ.)

22. Lagowska B. Scale insects (Homoptera, Coccinea) of Roztocze and the Lublin Upland. Polish journal of Entomology, 1986, no. 56, pp. 475–478.

23. Lagowska B., Golan K. Contribution to the knowledge of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccinea) of the Lublin Upland in Poland. Entomological News, 2002, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 69–85.

24. Lakin G.F. Biometrics. Study. allowance, 4th ed., revised. and add. M.: Higher school, 1990. 352 p. (In Russ.)

25. Malec M., Golan K. The occurrence of genus Physokermes (Hemiptera, Coccoidea) in Poland and Europe. Annales UMCS, 2015, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 11–20.

26. Malumphy C. Ostrauskas H., Pye D. A provisional catalogue of scale insects of Lithuania. Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 2008, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 108–121.

27. Marciulynas A. Biology and significance of the spruce bud scale (Physokermes piceae Schrank.) to sanitary condition of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) in Lithuania: doctoral dissertation. Girionys, 2016. 88 p.

28. Martynov V.V., Nikulina T.V., Gubin A.I., Levchenko I.S. New and interesting records of phytophagous insects in green spaces of Donbass. Report I. Industrial Botany, 2019b, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 9–16. (In Russ.)

29. Martynov V.V., Nikulina T.V., Gubin A.I., Levchenko I.S. New and interesting records of phytophagous insects in green spaces of Donbass. Report II. Industrial Botany, 2019c, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 11–21. (In Russ.)

30. Martynov V.V., Nikulina T.V., Gubin A.I., Levchenko I.S. To the history of the study of dendrophilous phytophagous arthropods outbreaks at Donetsk territory. Monitoring and biological control methods of woody plant pests and pathogens: from theory to practice: Proceedings of the Second International Conference (Moscow, April 22–26 2019). Moscow‒Krasnoyarsk, 2019a, pp. 116–117. (In Russ.)

31. Melenti V.O. Spruce bud scales (Physokermes picea Schrank, 1801; Physokermes hemicryphus Dalman, 1826; Physokermes inopinatus Danzig & Kozar, 1973) in the dendrological park of Kharkiv National Agrarian University named after V.V. Dokuchaiev. The Bulletin of Kharkiv National Agrarian University. Series «Phytopathology and Entomology», 2018, no. 1–2, pp. 87–91. (In Russ.)

32. Melenti V.O., Lezhenina I.P. Biology and harmfulness of the spruce Bud scale on spruce in Kharkiv region. IX Congress of the Ukrainian Entomological Society (Kharkiv, 20–23 August 2018): Abstracts / Ed. by Prof. V.L. Meshkova. Kharkiv: FOP Brovin O., 2018, pp. 78–79. (In Russ.)

33. Miezite O., Okmanis M., Indriksons A., Ruba J., Polmanis K., Freimane L. Assessment of sanitary conditions in stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) damaged by spruce bud scale (Physokermes piceae Schrnk.). iForest, 2013, vol. 6, pp. 73–78.

34. Physokermes piceae (von Paula Schrank, 1801). Plant Parasites of Europe, 2020. URL: https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/hemiptera/sternorrhyncha/coccoidea/coccidae/physokermes /physokermes-piceae/ (accused April 02, 2020).

35. Polyakov A.K. The introduction of species of the genus Spruce in Donbass. Plant introduction and acclimatization, 1989, no. 12, pp. 14–16. (In Russ.)

36. Prokhorov A.V. Annotated list of buprestid beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) of the wood-and-steppe and steppe zones of Ukraine. Ukrainska Entomofaunistyka, 2010, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 1–72. (In Russ.)

37. Schmutterer H. Morphology, systematics and bionomy of the Physokermes species on spruce (Homopt. Cocc. Journal of Applied Entomology. Chair of Applied Zoology. Munich, 1956, pp. 445–466.

38. Suslova Ye.P., Polyakov A.K., Kharkhota L.V. Woody plants condition in the park stands of the industrial cities in the South-East of Ukraine. Industrial Botany. Proceedings. Donetsk: Donetsk Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2013, vol. 13 pp. 109–115. (In Russ.)

39. Tereznikova E.M. Scale Insects. Eriococcidae, Kermesidae and Coccidae. Fauna of Ukraine. Kiev, 1981, vol. 20, no. 19. 216 p. (In Russ.)

40. Turguter S. Ulgenturk S. Biological Aspects of Physokermes piceae (Schrank) (Spruce Bud Scale) (Hemiptera: Coccidae). Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2006, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 44–50.

41. Ulgenturk S., Canakcıoglu H. Scale insect pests on ornamental plants in urban habitats in Turkey. Journal of Pest Science, 2004, vol. 77, pp. 79–84.

42. Ulgenturk S., Ozdemir M. Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) on oriental spruce. Turkish Journal of Forestry, 2019, vol. 20, no. 2, рр. 76–79.

43. Wallner W. Scale Insects: What the arboriculturist needs to know about them. Journal of Arboriculture, 1978, vol. 4, no. 5, рр. 97–103.