Factors Influencing Insecticide Efficacy Against Armored and Soft Scales
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Frank, 2014; Meineke et al., 2014). Factors Influencing Insecticide Efficacy against Individuals tasked with protecting Armored and Soft Scales trees from scale insects in urban envi- ronments need to select and time pesticide applications so they target 1 Carlos R. Quesada , Adam Witte, and Clifford S. Sadof the most susceptible stages of scales while minimizing impact on natural enemies (Cloyd, 2010; Frank, 2012; ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. pine needle scale, oleander scale, calico scale, striped pine scale, chemical control, crawler duration Rebek and Sadof, 2003; Robayo- Camacho and Chong, 2015). As SUMMARY. Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) are among the most economically such, pesticides that have been cate- important pests of ornamental plants. Soft scales (Coccidae) are phloem-feeding gorized by the U.S. Environmental insects that produce large amounts of honeydew. By contrast, armored scales (Diaspididae) feed on the contents of plant cells and produce a waxy test that covers Protection Agency (EPA) as reduced their bodies. We studied two species of armored scales [pine needle scale (Chionaspis risk to human health and the environ- pinifoliae) and oleander scale (Aspidiotus nerii)] and two species of soft scales [calico ment are favorable candidates for use scale (Eulecanium cerasorum) and striped pine scale (Toumeyella pini)] to compare in a pest management program (EPA, efficacy of selected insecticides. In addition, we assessed how the duration of first 2010). Although applications of re- instar emergence might influence insecticide efficacy. Several reduced-risk insecti- duced-risk products to the crawling cides (chlorantraniliprole, pyriproxyfen, spiromesifen, and spirotetramat), horti- scales can be as effective as those culture oil, and two broad-spectrum insecticide standards (bifenthrin and products with higher risk chemistries dinotefuran) were evaluated. Efficacy of insecticides was consistent within each scale (Frank, 2012; Xiao et al., 2016), the family. Bifenthrin and pyriproxyfen were the only insecticides that killed soft scale insects. By contrast, all insecticides killed armored scales when the crawler stage was relative effectiveness of low risk ma- the target of application. Armored and soft scales may differ in susceptibility to terials can vary. pesticides because of likely differences in the chemical composition of their Scale insects have flightless adult integuments and covers. Finally, we found that the effectiveness of a single females and winged adult males. application of insecticide declined by >15% when the duration of the crawling Winged males have undeveloped juvenile period was increased from 1 to 4 weeks. Increases in duration of a scale mouthparts and live just long enough crawling period decreased the efficacy of a pesticide application. to find mates [hours to days (Kosztarab, 1996; Miller and Davidson, 2005; cale insects are among the most Outbreaks of scale insects are Rosen, 1990)]. The mobile first instar destructive pests that feed on more frequent in protected culture will settle and feed on plant substrates Sleaves, stems, and fruit of vege- and disturbed habitats, such as in within 24–72 h or crawl to a leaf edge tative and woody plants (Fulcher greenhouses and urban landscapes, and disperse in the wind (Ben-Dov et al., 2012). High densities of scale than in natural forests (Hanks and and Hodgson, 1997). During this insects can slow the rate of carbohy- Denno, 1993; Tooker and Hanks, time, crawlers are subject to high rates drate assimilation (Speight, 1991; 2000). Outbreaks have been attrib- of mortality due to depletion of avail- Washburn et al., 1985) and reduce uted to a reduction of natural enemies able host material, adverse environ- plant vigor. This can result in leaf caused by low plant and prey diver- mental conditions such as heavy chlorosis, branch dieback, or even sity, pesticide residues, dust, and high rains, or pesticide use (Rosen, 1990). death of the plant due to direct injury temperature (Hanks and Denno, Both armored and soft scale species or outbreaks of other insects and 1993; Luck and Dahlstein, 1975; may have univoltine and multivoltine pathogens (Hanson and Miller, Meineke et al., 2013; Price et al., life cycles depending on the geographic 1984; Hubbard and Potter, 2005; 2011; Raupp et al., 2001). In addi- and climatic conditions (Ben-Dov and Rebek and Sadof, 2003). Armored tion, urban warming might contrib- Hodgson, 1997; Miller and Davidson, scales, mealybugs (Pseudococcidae), ute to pest outbreaks due to the effect 2005; Robayo-Camacho and Chong, and soft scales are the most econom- of temperature on the fecundity and 2015; Rosen, 1990). ically important insects in this group temporal synchrony of scale insects, Armored scales feed primarily on (Miller et al., 2005). and their natural enemies (Dale and the contents of plant cells (Sadof and Department of Entomology, Purdue University, 901 Units W State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 To convert U.S. to SI, To convert SI to U.S., We thank D. Richmond, M. Scharf, and R. Lopez for multiply by U.S. unit SI unit multiply by their comments on this manuscript; A. Caballero, A. Kissick, A. Rios, D. Peterson, E. Sorto, J. Realey, J. 29.5735 fl oz mL 0.0338 Prado, J. Wolf, O. Menocal, and R. Tuscan for their 0.3048 ft m 3.2808 help in the field and laboratory; and C. Bogran for 3.7854 gal L 0.2642 helpful discussions. The research was conducted in 2.54 inch(es) cm 0.3937 partial fulfillment of the requirements for PhD to C. 25.4 inch(es) mm 0.0394 Quesada who was supported by USDA APHIS Co- 6.4516 inch2 cm2 0.1550 operative Agreement 08-8218-0520-CA awarded to 1.6093 mile(s) km 0.6214 C. Sadof. 7.4892 oz/gal gÁL–1 0.1335 1Corresponding author. E-mail: cquesand@purdue. 11.1612 oz/inch gÁcm–1 0.0896 edu. 6.8948 psi kPa 0.1450 https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH03993-18 (°F–32)/1.8 °F °C(°C · 1.8) + 32 • June 2018 28(3) 267 RESEARCH REPORTS Neal, 1993) and are characterized by and biology of armored and soft scales insecticides and 2) the duration of their waxy covering (Rosen, 1990). could explain why these two groups the scale crawler period. These wax covers, also called tests, of insects responded differently to start forming within 24–48 h after applications of insecticidal soap and Material and methods they settle to feed. The test is not horticultural oil (Quesada and Sadof, SCALE INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. bound to the body of an armored 2017). For this reason, we hypothe- Reduced-risk insecticides (chloran- scale. It simply encloses the insect and size that armored and soft scales could traniliprole, pyriproxyfen, spiromesi- eggs. Within hours after armored respond differently to other pesticides fen, and spirotetramat) were chosen scales hatch, scale insects crawl under with that share a mode of action. In from a list provided by EPA (2016) or out of the test find, a place to settle addition, we hypothesize that tempo- because of their potential to be part and feed for the rest of their lives (Miller ral differences in the duration of the of an integrated pest management and Davidson, 2005; Rosen, 1990). dispersing crawler stage can affect the program that conserves beneficial Soft scales feed on phloem sap capacity of the insecticide applications insects (Cloyd et al., 2006; Frank, and produce honeydew (Ben-Dov to reduce scale populations. Armored 2012; Planes et al., 2013; Xiao and Hodgson, 1997; Kosztarab, and soft scales vary widely in the et al., 2016). Even though horti- 1996). Honeydew is composed duration of crawler periods because cultural oil can kill natural enemies mostly of sugars and amino acids of environmental conditions and bi- on contact (Oetting and Latimer, (Ben-Dov and Hodgson, 1997; ology (Frank et al., 2013). Thus, 1995), it was included in our list of Leroy et al., 2011; Volkl€ et al., because the crawler stage of scales is insecticides because of its ability to 1999; Woodring et al., 2004) and most vulnerable to insecticides, appli- kill scale insects with a minimal im- can lead to accumulation of black cation timing and frequency may pact on natural enemies due to the sooty mold on bark and leaves, which need to be adjusted to account for short-term residual toxicity (Raupp can reduce photosynthesis and plant differences in the biology of scale et al., 2001; Rebek and Sadof, 2003). growth (Ben-Dov and Hodgson, insects. Scale species, such as calico Dinotefuran and bifenthrin were chosen 1997; Hubbard and Potter, 2005). scale and pine needle scale, that lay all to represent the two most commonly In addition, honeydew supports sym- eggs at one time are more likely to be used broad-spectrum insecticide clas- biotic mutualisms with ants that pro- controlled with single application of ses, neonicotinoids, and pyrethroids vide protection from natural enemies insecticide if it is timed to coincide (Sparks and Nauen, 2015). All insec- (Hanks and Sadof, 1990; Vanek and with their brief crawler period. By ticides were applied using the highest Potter, 2010). Soft scale insects are contrast, other species, such as olean- labeled rate except for spirotetramat, covered mostly with honeydew (Ben- der and striped pine scale who lay which was applied to striped pine scale Dov and Hodgson, 1997; Kosztarab, a few eggs at a time, have a more at two different rates. A total of seven 1996). Once soft scales settle, some extended crawler period and are more insecticides with six different modes of species, such as striped pine scale, likely to avoid mortality from a single action were studied on either soft or remain in the same location (Clarke application of a short residual insecti- armored scale (Table 1). et al., 1989). Other species retain cide. Our laboratory colony of olean- We conducted experiments with functioning legs so they can move to der scale produced a continuous four species of economically impor- different parts of their host plant.