ABSTRACT
The European peach scale, Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius, 1776) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is one of the most important pests of southern Brazilian vineyards. Scale biology was studied using females collected in a vineyard of Vitis labrusca L. var. Isabel (Vitaceae) in December of 2002 and fixing the insects on leaves of one-year-old plants in the laboratory. Length and width of the scale, fecundity and longevity were observed (n = 30). Scale has a life cycle of one year with 3 nymphal instars. Life span of the first instar nympha occurs from January to March, the second from April to July, and the third from August to November. The fecundity was 2,449.5 ± 323.46 eggs/female with a viability of 87.5%. Viability of first, second and third instars was 93.3, 82.1 and 86.9%, respectively, and 58.2% from egg to adult. Males of the species were not observed.
KEY WORDS
Insecta; Coccoidea; Vitis labrusca