The woolly vine scale (Pulvinaria vitis) – pest management

The woolly vine scale, Pulvinaria vitis, is a pest widespread in Europe.

Description. The adult female has an auburn body, almost black, pear-shaped or circular, flattened. Dorsally, it has 3 cuticular, transverse striations. The female’s body length is 5-8 mm, and the width is between 3-5 mm. The dorsal skin has glandular, waxy glands, and the ventral skin has discoidal glands, located medially in the area of the last abdominal segments. It also has numerous cylindrical glands that secrete silk, which forms the eggs sac. The male has an elongated, reddish body and it is winged. The body length is 1.4-1.6 mm.

Biology and ecology 

Being a polyphagous species, the woolly vine scale attacks numerous plants, but the most important of them is the grapevine. It is also present on currant, poplar, willow, birch, etc. It multiplies sexually and parthenogenetically. The adults usually appear at the beginning of August, that is, approximately the beginning of the ripening period in the early varieties. The first larval stage lasts 30-35 days, after which, at the beginning of July, the hatching and appearance of the second stage larvae take place. After 20-25 days of feeding at the beginning of August, the larvae hatch and the adults appear. It produces only one generation per year.

Attacked plants and damages. In the case of particularly strong attacks, on the sweet droppings “honeydew” left by the pests, Capnodium mushroom species develop, the grapevine leaves being covered by a black film, called sooty mold. This reduces photosynthesis and implicitly depreciates the quality of the harvest.

Control. During the vegetative dormancy period, treatments should be done with horticultural oil.

Recommended products

Read carefully and follow the instructions on the label of each product

During the vegetative growth period, treatments with specific insecticides must be carried out.

Recommended products

Read carefully and follow the instructions on the label of each product
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