Icerya purchasi Maskell, 1879

First intercepted at Malta in 1907, on ornamental plants coming from Sicily. The scale was first noticed in some gardens in St. Julian’s, from where it rapidly spread to Sliema and Msida; in two to three years it was well established everywhere in Malta and Gozo (Borg, 1919; 1922a: 86; Mifsud & Watson, 1999; Dandria, 2010). Borg (1932) recorded the species on citrus, Acacia, Pittosporum tobira, rose trees, Robinia pseudo-acacia, Caesalpina sappan and many other non-specified plants. It was also recorded by Saliba (1963) as “very common on citrus, less so on pear and mulberry”, and by Vella (1991).

Material examined: MALTA, Mosta, 13.iii.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Rosmarinus officinalis, GW; Mosta, 13.iii.1994, 1 ♀ on Pittosporum tobira, GW; Mġarr, 14.iii.1994, 1 ♀ on Pistacia lentiscus, DM; Marsa, Għammieri, 12.iii.1994, 1 ♀ on Artemisia vulgaris, CF; Qawra, 14.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on Pittosporum tobira, CM; Valletta, 13.ii.2012, 1 ♀ on P. tobira, CM; Bugibba, 18.ii.2012, 5 ♀♀ on Citrus sinensis, CM; Mdina, 19.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on C. sinensis, CM; Qawra, 19.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on Rosa sp., CM ; Luqa, 2 ♀♀ on P. tobira, CM . GOZO, Kercem, Dawara Valley, 16.iii.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Arisarum vulgare, DM; Victoria, 15.ii.2012, 2 ♀♀ on P. tobira, CM .