Invasive species threaten the ecological and economic wellbeing of a country (Pimentel et al. 2001). In the last decade, several mealybugs and soft scale insects have been accidentally introduced to India, of which some have become serious pests (e.g., Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green and Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller); others are widening their host ranges and spreading rapidly. Kilifia acuminata (Signoret) and Protopulvinaria longivalvata Green seem relatively harmless but Trijuba oculata (Brain) and Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell cause economic damage (Joshi & Rameshkumar 2013; Joshi 2017).

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The notoriously destructive and invasive soft scale, Ceroplastes cirripediformis Comstock (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae), is recorded for the first time from India. The scale is redescribed to facilitate its identification and information on its host range, natural enemies and distribution is provided. An identification key to the Indian species in this genus is given. Management options in the event of an outbreak are discussed briefly. The establishment of this scale insect warrants special attention in India as it is a potentially damaging plant pest and has a broad host range across many plant families.

An experiment was conducted to assess the compatibility of the popular insecticides like spinosad, cypermethrin, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole as well as fungicides copper oxychloride, carbendazim and hexaconazole with native isolates of M. anisopliae (MC 2, MC 4, MC 7). Among the isolates, MC 2, MC 7 and MC 4 were found compatible with insecticides spinosad, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole as well as fungicide copper oxychloride. Isolates MC 2 and MC 7 exhibited highest growth with only 3.70 and 5.18 per cent inhibition in the PDA medium amended with highest dose of copper oxychloride (0.30 g/ l ) when compared to MC 4 (7.03 % inhibition). Among the three isolates tested, the isolate MC 7 was more compatible with highest growth at all higher doses of chlorantraniliprole (0.35 ml/L), spinosad (0.38ml/ l) and imidacloprid (0.15g/ l) by recording least per cent growth inhibition (11.00, 11.41 and 14.44 per cent inhibition respectively). The insecticide cypermethrin was slightly toxic to all the isolates of M. anisopliae and fungicides, carbendazim and hexaconazole were not compatible with the M. anisopliae isolates.

The potential of aqueous and methanol extracts of ten botanicals were evaluated against the egg and adult of the spider mite Tetranychus truncatus Ehara, under laboratory conditions. The extracts showed no or negligible ovicidal action, but significant adulticidal action; among the aqueous extracts, A. squamosa (5, 7.5 and 10%), C. papaya (10%) and B. monnieri (10%) caused significantly maximum mortality, while it was methanolic extracts of A. calamus, C. papaya (1 and 2%) and A. marmelos (2%) which revealed maximum mortality with adults.