Opuntia ficus-indica Mill. and Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Lyons (Cactaceae) are alternative food sources for cattle in drought areas of the Northeastern Region of Brazil. Diaspis echinocacti (Bouché) is the unique pest of these Cactacea species and it was previously detected on the following native host plants: Cereus jamacaru DC., Melocactus sp., Opuntia dillenii Haw. and O. inamoena K. Schum. The new record of native hosts are Cereus gounellei (Weber) Luetzelb., C. squamosus Gërke. and the exotic C. hildemannianus K. Schum., from drought areas; Pereskia grandifolia Haw. and Epiphyllum oxypetalum Haw., native species from tropical forest used as ornamental plants. D. echinocacti has not infested O. monacantha Haw. in the field and in laboratory bioessays. The dissemination of the neonate scale insect transported on the body surface of the predators Chilocorus nigrita (Fabricius) and Zagreus bimaculosus (Mulsant) Coccinellidae: Chilocorinae) was registered for the first time.
Insecta; crop pests; alternative cattle forage; prickly-pear