Ecology and Management of Mindarus kinseyi Voegtlin (Aphidoidea: Mindaridae) on White-Fir Seedlings at a California Forest Nursery

In recent years, an aphid identified as balsam twig aphid, Mindarus abietinus Koch, was observed on seedlings of white fir (Abies concolor [Gord. &; Glend.] Lindl.) at the USDA—Forest Service Nursery near Placerville, California. Both first- and second-year seedlings were infested and aphid-induced stunting of seedlings was observed. Investigations during 1989-92 revealed that the aphid had a life cycle that differed from that reported for M. abietinus. The following stages were detected: egg, fundatrix, vivipara (apterous and alate), sexupara (apterous and alate), and sexualis (male and ovipara). Third and subsequent generations of apterous viviparae were observed; these, plus the alate viviparae and the apterous sexuparae, have not been recorded for other Mindarus species. Aphid populations first appeared in spring, but persisted throughout the summer, fall, and well into winter. The aphid was recently described as Mindarus kinseyi Voegtlin.