Buff coconut mealybug, Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell), a new invasive pest in the Philippines with a synopsis of other scale insects found in coconut (Hemiptera:Coccidea:Pseudococcidae)

The occurrence of the buff coconut mealybug (BCM), Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell), in the Philippines is reported for the first time both as a new faunal record, as well as a new pest of economically important agricultural crops, mainly coconut and various fruit and ornamental crops, and forest species including some native palms. N. nipae is polyphagous and in a 4-yr survey of the pest, the authors found 53 plant species belonging to 14 plant families being attacked. Damage is effected by the insect through: 1) direct feeding of the plant sap; 2) production of a copious amount of sticky honeydew, which accumulates on the other parts of the host plant tissues and those plants growing below or directly under the positions of the sucking insects; and 3) growth and development of sooty molds on the accumulated honey dew. All these three direct and indirect types of damage cause simultaneous and mutually confounding stresses to the host plant. This complex damage causes leaves to wither and gradually turn brown and is here termed as 'mealybug burn'. The most seriously affected among economically important crops are coconuts, especially those being tapped for tuba and made into lambanog. Among palms in general, however, the fishtail palms (Caryota cumingii Lodd. Ex Mart and Caryota rumphiana Mart. var. philippinensis Becc.) are the most susceptible followed by the cane or golden palm (Gypsis lutescens (H. Wendl.) Beentje & J. Dransf.), the bamboo palm (Chamaedorea sefrizii Burret) and the royal palm (Rostonea regia (HBK) O.F. Cook). The pest is confirmed to be present in four Southern Tagalog provinces and in the Davao area in Mindanao. No natural enemies were observed during the study. The taxonomy of Philippine mealybugs found on coconut, including BCM, is reviewed. Other species of scale insects may be mistaken for mealybugs, such as iceryine giant scales (Margarodidae) and felt scales (Eriococcidae), are also included in this report. The occurrence of Sangicoccus truncatispinus (Reyne) (Eriococcidae) in the Philippines is confirmed. New common names are proposed for standard use to refer specifically to each coconut-associated species to facilitate extension and communication efforts.