Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius, 1883)

giant pine scale

on Abies, Picea, Pinus

Marchalina hellenica female

female (from Hodgson & Gounari).

parasite

The scales in bark fissures on the stems, concealed by whitish wax wool. Probably fully parthenogenetic.

host plants

Pinaceae, oligophagous

Abies cephalonica, nordmanniana; Picea engelmannii, orientalis; Pinus brutia, halepensis, nigra & subsp. pallasiana, pinea, sylvestris.

phenology

Univoltine; hibernation at the second larval instar.

distribution within Europe

(PESI, 2020).

synonyms

Marchalina caucasica Hadzibejli 1969; Pseudococcus caricus (Gennadius, 1883).

notes

Because of its abundance and copious honey-dew production this species plays an important role in the production of “pine honey”.

references

Akkuzu, Arslangündoğdu & Selmi (2006a), Bacandritsos (2002a, 2004a), Bacandritsos, Saitanis & Papanastasiou (2004a), Hatjina & Bouga (2009a), Hodgson & Gounari (2006a), Kozar, Paloukis & Papadopoulos (1991a), Pellizzari, Porcelli, Seljak & Kozár (2011a), ScaleNet (2023), Szita, Fetykó, Konczné Benedicty, ao (2017a), Ülgentürk, Çanakçioğlu & Kaygin (2004a), Ülgentürk, Evren, Ayhan ao (2012a), Ülgentürk, Szentkirályi, Uygun, ao (2013a).