Natural Enemies Associated with Aphids and Coccids from Sikkim, India

A survey was conducted to collect aphids, coccids and their natural enemies from Sikkim, India. Forty one species of aphids, five species of mealybugs, four species of soft scales, three species of armoured scales and a species of orthezid were recorded. Out of these, seventeen species of aphids, a species of soft scale and mealybug each, were reported for the first time from Sikkim. Two species of aphids were recorded for the first time from India. Among natural enemies of aphids and coccids, twelve species of coccinellids and two species of braconids, one species each of Aphelinidae and Pteromalidae were recorded during the survey. Although there were no new distribution records for natural enemies, four new host associations of coccinellid predators are reported through this study. The present study resulted in addition of 17 new species of aphids and a new species of mealybug to the existing collection of Aphididae and Pseudococcidae at NBAIR, Bangalore.