The scale insect pest Aonidiella citrina (Yellow scale) originates in the Far East and is mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is already found in Calabria, Liguria and Tuscany but according to a report in "Phytoma" a new or similar species has been observed for the first time in France on Orange and Tangerine plants in the Cote d'Azur. While the principal hosts are Citrus spp. and cultivars, this insect pest can infest Musa pasadisiaca, Olea europaea, various fruit trees, Acacia, Eucalyptus and Populus. Aonidiela citrina is rarely found on mature wood. On softer wood, leaves and fruit the pest develops armoured scales and the insects sucks the plant sap and can spread virus diseases. In bad infestations, it caused leaves to turn yellow, leaf and fruit adscission and dieback (shrivelling) of the twigs. Symptoms are worst in late summer and early autumn and during moisture stress. The pest has developed some resistance to chemical control but biological control methods using the predator insect Aphytis melinus, oil treatment or insect growth regulators to control the development of the scales, have been found effective. "Phytoma" fax 0033 1 49279190 www.phytoma.ldr.com One other source of information is www.ipm.ucdavis.edu