Protasov, A., Mendel, Z., Spodek, M., & Carvalho, C.J. 2017 Management of the Opuntia cochineal scale insect, Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) in Israel. Alon Hanotea 71: 1-4
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Notes: The Opuntia cochineal scale, Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha; Dactylopiidae), an aggressive scale insect, was first reported in Israel in the Upper Galilee in 2013. It infests and kills the Indian-fig prickly pear, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller (Cactaceae), a prominent plant in Israeli landscape. The management of the early outbreak with inundated releases of 100,000 adult predatory beetles, Cryptolaemous montrouzieri Mulsant, was unsuccessful. A collaboration with Mexican researchers from the Posgrado en Fitosanidad Colegio de Postgraduados, and KKL forest department, facilitate the introduction of two natural enemies from Mexico for the control of the scale in Israel; a predatory beetle, Hyperaspis trifurcata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and a predatory fly, Leucopis bellula (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae). Recently, individuals of H. trifurcata have been released in the cochineal infested sites sites in the Galilee
