The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the white mango scale (Aulacaspis tubercularis) and its management in Ethiopia. The white mango scale has emerged as a rapidly spreading and highly destructive pest of mangoes. It was first identified in Ethiopia in 2010 and has caused significant damage to mango production, with losses ranging from 50 to 100%, leading to the cessation of mango farming in many areas. The pest spread rapidly throughout the country due to inadequate quarantine measures and its ease of transportation. By 2022, the white mango scale had infested almost all mango-growing areas in Ethiopia, earning its place on the global distribution map. This pest, which attacks more than 37 genera across 23 families, is particularly harmful to mango trees, feeding on shoots, leaves, twigs, branches, and fruit, thereby severely reducing fruit quality and yield. Its hard white scale covering makes it challenging to control with contact insecticides. While no chemical control methods have been registered, some alternative management strategies—such as quarantine measures, cultural practices, biological control, chemical treatments, and integrated pest management—are being explored. The impact of the white mango scale is felt economically, socially, and environmentally, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action to manage its spread and damage in Ethiopia.
