RESUMO-O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dinâmica populacional de Aleurocanthus woglumi ao longo de um ano, verifi cando-se a época de maior ocorrência, seus picos populacionais e a distribuição dessa praga em dois pomares de Citrus spp. no município de São Luís -MA. Para o estudo da dinâmica populacional, foram selecionadas 10 plantas ao acaso, em cada pomar, coletando-se 20 folhas por planta, no período de julho de 2006 a junho de 2007, contando-se o número de posturas, ovos e ninfas. Para a determinação da distribuição de A. woglumi, as plantas foram divididas em quadrantes: norte, leste, sul e oeste, retirando-se 5 folhas/quadrante, totalizando-se 200 folhas por área de coleta. Com relação à distribuição na planta, o delineamento foi o inteiramente casualizado, adotando-se o esquema fatorial 2 x 4 (período seco e chuvoso x quadrante), com 13 repetições (nº de coletas). Realizou-se uma análise exploratória de dados, e as médias obtidas foram submetidas ao teste de Tukey, a 5% de probabilidade. Observou-se, nas duas localidades, que o inseto se distribuiu na copa da árvore de maneira homogênea e que os maiores níveis populacionais de A. woglumi ocorreram no período de baixa precipitação (julho a dezembro de 2006). Termos para indexação: Aleirodídeos, fl utuação populacional, citricultura. POPULATIONAL DYNAMICS OF CITRUS BLACKFLY Aleurocanthus woglumi ASHBY (HEMIPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) IN Citrus spp. IN SÃO LUÍS, MARANHÃO, BRAZILABSTRACT-This paper aims to evaluate the populational dynamics of Aleurocanthus woglumi throughout one year, verifying the season with higher density, its populational peaks and citrus blackfl y distribution in Citrus spp. in two orchards, in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. To study the populational dynamics, 10 plants were selected at random, in each orchard, as well as 20 leaves per plant, from July 2006 to June 2007, and the number of layings, eggs and nymphs was counted. To determine the vertical distribution of A. woglumi, plants were divided into quadrants: North, East, South and West, and 5 leaves/quadrant were removed, totaling 200 leaves per collecting area. Regarding to distribution over the plant, the delineation was entirely randomized adopting a 2 x 4 factorial scheme (dry and rainy seasons x quadrants), with 13 repetitions (number of collections). It accomplished an exploratory analysis of data and averages submitted to Tukey test at a 5% probability rate. It was observed that on the two locations the insect was distributed homogeneous on the tree canopies and that the highest populational levels of A. woglumi occurred in the low precipitation season

Black fly is a pest of Asian origin that causes direct and indirect damages to citrus, damaging the development and production of plants. For the development of efficient management strategies of the pest, the integration of control methods is necessary, and biological control is the most appropriate. Among the agents that can be used, entomopathogenic fungi are considered one of the most important and wide-ranging use. This work investigated the occurrence of Purpureocillium lilacinum (Thom.) Luangsa-ard et al. (= Paecilomyces lilacinus), attackingnymphs of citrus black fly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). The fungus was isolated from infected Black fly nymphs, present on Citrus spp leaves in the municipality of Morros, Maranhão. After isolation, purification and morphological and molecular characterization, pathogenicity test was performed with A. woglumi nymphs. Morphological and molecular correspondence was verified between inoculum and the reisolated, proving the pathogenicity of P. lilacinum.