Coccus viridis Green

Coccus viridis is a serious pest of citrus and coffee in Kodagu (Karnataka) and Palni and Shevroy hills of Tamil Nadu, India. The females breed parthenogenetically producing 500 nymphs or crawlers. The nymphs settle on all parts of the leaves preferring to settle on the under surface of the leaves along the midribs. The nymphs settle, suck sap and excrete honey dew. The vigour of the infested plants is reduced and the black sooty mould fungus develops on the honey dew excreted. The insect passes through 3-4 generations. In cases of severe attack, he fruits also get smudged with black sooty mould and the market value of such fruits is lost.

Coccus viridis is easily multiplied either on sprouted unbleached potato sprouts or on seedlings of robusta or libarica coffee. A sequence of sprouted potato trays or seedlings of robusta or libarica coffee has to be raised to ensure regular supply of insectary host plants to the predator or parasitoid.