SEASONAL TEMPERATURES AND THE PHENOLOGY OF GREEDY SCALE-POPULATIONS (HOMOPTERA, DIASPIDIDAE) ON KIWIFRUIT VINES IN NEW-ZEALAND

The development rate response to temperature of greedy scale, Hemiberl esia rapax, instars was determined from development times over a range of constant temperatures. A diurnal temperature simulation technique employing sine and exponential functions was coupled with these relati onships and used to drive a distributed development period model of gr eedy scale phenology. The model was assessed against field data for it s ability to predict first instar presence at one site in the Waikato, New Zealand. The model was then used to examine possible seasonal var iation in the timing of first instar greedy scale production over the range of kiwifruit growing climates in New Zealand. The model duplicat ed field data for first instar presence well. The results obtained fro m simulations for a range of seasons and districts are discussed.