Occurrence of nesting whitefly Paraleyrodes minei Iaccarino (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in India

Incidence of an invasive nesting whitefly, Paraleyrodes minei was observed in coconut gardens in larger areas along the Western Ghat coastal regions of Kerala and Karnataka since November 2018. Paraleyrodes minei is one of the recent exotic species reported along with P. bondari on coconut by ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. The incidence of P. minei was noticed on the under surface of the coconut leaflets, particularly in the gardens where rugose spiraling whitefly Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin had been reported earlier. Brief biology, distribution and host range of P. minei along with natural enemies of P. minei are included.