Hemiptera: Kerriidae) in South Florida: a Snapshot Sample of an Infestation in a Residental Yard

Scientiﬁc Notes 373

INVASION OF PARATACHARDINA LOBATA LOBATA (HEMIPTERA: KERRIIDAE) IN SOUTH FLORIDA: A SNAPSHOT SAMPLE OF AN INFESTATION IN A RESIDENTAL YARD

ROBERT W. PEMBERTON Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 3205 College Ave, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314

The lobate lac scale, native to Sri Lanka and cluded native wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa Sw.), India (Varshney 1976), was first detected in ornamental Michelia sp. and common hibiscus, Davie, Broward County Florida in August 1999 and the fruit tree carambola (Averrhoa caram- and then in Miami Dade during March 2000 (Ha- bola L.). All of these exhibited branch dieback. mon 2001). By the spring of 2002, the insect be- Large landscape trees, such as native laurel oak gan to appear in alarming densities on many and exotic black olive, bore moderate infestations. different host plants in Broward County. To ob- All four mango varieties (Carrie, Jakarta, Dot tain an idea of the current and potential infesta- and Valencia Pride) were infested and three had tion of this scale on plants in South Florida, a moderate infestations. Grapefruit and kumquat “snap-shot” sample was made in a single Ft. Lau- had light levels of the scale, while sweet orange derdale residential yard known to be infested and tangelo were free of the insect. Emperor ly- with the scale during July, 2002. Although modest chee was attacked but Brewster lychee was not. in terms of area examined and duration of study, The three annonacious fruits, sugar apple, sour this sample offers a compelling picture of the sop and atemoya were all attacked. One species, scale’s extreme polyphagy and may provide indi- wild coffee, experienced the full range of infesta- cations of relative susceptibility of different tion levels from absence to heavy. Attacked spe- plants and plant groups. cies belong to a diverse spectrum of unrelated The 1/3 acre yard examined was selected be- families from the primitive Magnoliaceae and cause of its diverse plantings of tropical fruit, na- Lauraceae to the advanced Rubiaceae. Of the 17 tive plants, and horticultural plants including families with more than one species in the sam- important landscape trees and shrubs. It was also ple, four had all species attacked, four had none chosen because of the absence of pesticide use attacked, and nine had both attacked and unat- which might influence infestation, although tacked species. Seven of eight Myrtaceae and county mosquito control fogging trucks operate three of four Rubiaceae were infested by the scale. periodically within 30 meters of the property, par- Three of the seven Rutaceae present were in- ticularly during the summer. A total of 67 woody fested. Three of seven genera with multiple spe- plant species in 30 plant families were examined cies had both attacked and unattacked species, for presence of the scale. A total of 83 individual while plants in the other four genera were either plants were examined and seven species were all attacked or unattacked. sampled more than once. Plants sampled were at Because it is unknown how long the scale has least one meter tall and present in the yard for at been at this site, infestation and level of infesta- least one year. Each plant was scanned for about tion on particular plant species may reflect the 30 seconds, except for orange and tangelo, which state of invasion and degree of population growth. were examined for about five minutes because of Uninfested and lightly infested plants may reflect their economic importance. If the scale was found, preference of the scale for other plants, rather estimates of infestation were made by judging the than absence of susceptibility. For this reason, number of morphologically distinct mature fe- presence of the scale in the sample is more impor- males in 30 cm length of branch as follows. Heavy tant than its absence. What is clear is that the infestations had more than 100 scales per 30 cm, scale attacked the majority of species and families moderate infestations had between 10 and 100, represented in the yard as well as the majority of and light infestations had fewer than 10. individual plants examined. It also used a wide The scale was found in 37/67 (55%) of the plant variety of plant types including native species, species in 19/30 (63.3%) of the plant families (Ta- commercial fruit, and important landscape trees ble 1). Of the attacked species, 16% (6/37) had and shrubs. Paratacharina lobata lobata is be- plants rated as heavily infested, 40% (15/37) had coming a serious pest, due to rapid rate of spread, moderately infested plants, and 62% (23/37) had wide host range, and severe impacts to plants lightly infested plants. Of the 83 individual such as branch dieback and death of some hosts. plants examined, 46 or 55% were infested. The Research is urgently needed to determine how most severely impacted plant was the native wax to control the lobate lac scale and how, if possible, myrtle (Myrica cerifera L.); three of the five plants to limit its spread. Control research should in- examined had been killed and the other two were clude both chemical and biological control. Infes- dying. The scale completely covered branches of tation of native plants indicates the scale’s ability these plants. Other heavily infested species in- to invade natural areas where chemical control

374 Florida Entomologist 86(3) September 2003 Light None Number infested Medium High 2002. ULY J DURING

YARD

RESIDENTIAL

ruit tree Yes 1 ruit treeruit shrub Yes Yes 1 1 2 ruit treeruit tree Yes Yes 1 1 ruit tree Yes 3 1 Landscape tree No 2 Ornamental tree Yes 1 Spice shrubOrnamental shrub Yes No 1 2 Native-ornamental tree NoOrnamental tree 1 YesOrnamental shrub NoSpice shrub 2 Yes 1 1 Landscape tree Yes 1 Ornamental shrub Yes 1 Ornamental shrub NoSpice shrub Yes 3 1 Ornamental vineNative vine and weed No No 1 1 Native-ornamental shrub No 1 F shrubEdible leaved NoNative-landscape tree Yes 2 1 1 AUDERDALE . L T F A

IN acacia

Atemoya F Sauropus INFESTATION

SCALE

LAC

LOBATE

(Lindl) Lem. Confederate jasmine Blume Cinnamon FOR

(L.) Kuntze ivy Poison Raddi Brazilian pepper L. Rosemary (L.) Blume Croton (L.) Merr. L. Tropical almond L. Sugar apple F Blume Bischoﬁa Michx. Laurel oak illd. Christmas senna (L.) Willd. (L.) Sweet L. Soursop F L. Mango Griseb. Rheedia F W

L. Black olive EXAMINED L. Bay leaf

L. Red maple Atemoya

sp. Michelia sp. Thai basil × LANTS sp. Rheedia F 1. P rachelopermum jasminoides rachelopermum oxicodendron radicans erminalia catappa Species Common name Type of plant Infested Acer rubrum T Mangifera indica terebinthifolius Schinus T Annona squamosa Annona muricata Annona Rheedia aristata Rheedia Bucida buceras T javanica Bischoﬁa Codiaeum variegatum Sauropus androgynus Acacia farnesiana Cassia pendula Quercus laurifolia Ocimum Rosmarinus ofﬁcinalis Cinnamomum zeylanicum Laurus nobilis Michelia amily agaceae abaceae ABLE Combretaceae Lauraceae F Apocynaceae Euphorbiaceae F Magnoliaceae Aceraceae Clusiceae Anacardiaceae Annonaceae F Lamiaceae T

Scientiﬁc Notes 375 Light None Number infested Medium 2002. ULY J High DURING

YARD

RESIDENTIAL

AUDERDALE ruit tree No 2 ruit tree Yes 1 ruti tree Yes 1 1 ruit tree No ruit tree Yesruit tree 1 No 1 ruit shrub No 1 ruit shrub Yes 1 . L Ornamental shrub Yes 1 Ornamental shrub NoNative-ornamental shrub Yes 1 1 Ornamental No 1 F Landscape ﬁgNative-ornamental shrub YesLandscape hedge plant YesF Yes 1 Ornamental shrubOrnamental shrub 1 No 2 NoF 1 1 Native-ornamental tree No 1 Spice shrub YesOrnamental No 1 1 Ornamental shrub Yes 1 F F Spice shrub Yes 1 Ornamental vine No 2 T F A

jasmine INFESTATION

spice y rum SCALE

Golden bamboo Black bamboo LAC

LOBATE

FOR

EXAMINED

Lam. Jakfruit Hook. F. Hook. Pinwheel L. L. Hibiscus LANTS Ellis Gardenia Griseb. Spicewood Lam. Grumichama F L. L. Carambola F (C. Martius) (C. Jaboticaba (Thunb.) Lindl. (Thunb.) Loquat Lour. Sweet olive (Lodd. & Lindl.) Munro (Lodd. ) P (Vell.) Kiaersk. (Vell.) Cherry-Rio Grande (Miller) J. Moore (Miller) J. Ba J.C. Wendl. J.C. (L.) L. Sea grape L. Surinam cherry L. L. Benjamin fig L. myrtle Wax (L.) Merr. All Lour. Mi lan X. Bougainvillea sp. jaboticaba Yellow ONTINUED X. Mulberry F 1. (C verrhoa carambola icus benjamina asminum gracillimum Species Common name Type of plant Infested Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Agalia odorata Artocarpus heterophyllus F Morus Myrica cerifera pallens Calyptranthes Eugenia brasiliensis Eugenia uniflora Eugenia aggregata Myrciaria cauliflora Myrciaria Pimenta racemosa Bougainvilea J A Bambusa vulgaris Coccoloba unifera Eriobotrya japonica Gardenia jasminoides Pimenta dioica Osmanthus fragans nigra Phyllostachys oacaeae olygonaceae amily ABLE Myricaeae Moraceae Myrtaceae P Oxalidaceae Rubiceae F Rosaceae Malvaceae Nyctaginaceae P Meliaceae Oleaceae T

376 Florida Entomologist 86(3) September 2003 Light None Number infested Medium 2002. ULY 2522 J High DURING

YARD

RESIDENTIAL

AUDERDALE . L T F A

INFESTATION

hee tree Fruit Yes 1 1 ild coffee Native-ornamental shrub Yes ild lime Native shrub No 1 ampi tree Fruit Yes 1 irebush Native-ornamental shrub Yes 1 angelo tree Fruit No 1 SCALE

Longan tree Fruit No 1 Sweet orangeKumquat tree Fruit tree Fruit No Yes 1 1 Orange jasmine Ornamental shrub No 1 IxoraT W Ornamental shrub NoNone Ornamental shrub 3 No 1 Lady of the night Ornamental shrub Yes 1 Grapefruit tree Fruit Sapodilla Yes tree Fruit 1 No 1 F LAC

LOBATE

FOR

EXAMINED

(L.) Planch. creeper Virginia Native vine Yes 1 Royen L. Fiddlewood Native-ornamental shrub No 1 (Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell & (Schumach. Miracle fruit shrub Fruit Yes 1 1 .W LANTS (Thunb.) Swingle (Thunb.) (L.) Sarg. W (L.) Jack L. Night blooming jasmine Ornamental shrub Yes 1 Lour. Sw ) P

(Lour.) Skeels (Lour.) (L.) Van Van (L.) Krug. Urb. Krug. Benth. Jacq. (L.) Osbeck L. Sonn. Lyc

sp. None Ornamental shrub Yes 1 ONTINUED tangelo X. X.

1. (C ortunella japonicum arthenocissus quinquefolia Species Common name Type of plant Infested Hamelia patens Ixora coccinea nervosa Psychotria Citrus Citrus Citrus sinensis Clausena lansium F Murraya paniculata Zanthoxylum fagara Dimocarpus longan sinensis Litchi Manilkara zapota Brunfelsia Brunfelsia lactea Brunfelsia nitda Cestrum nocturnum Citharexylum spinosum P Synsepalum dulcificum itaceae erbenaceae amily ABLE Rutaceae F Sapotaceae Sapindaceae Solanaceae V V T Scientific Notes 377 may be difficult, cost prohibitive or inappropriate (19/30) families at a sampled site. Many impor- because of potential harm to non-target organ- tant plants in southern Florida were attacked in- isms. Indeed, preliminary examination of several cluding: tropical fruits (grapefruit, mango, lychee preserves, such as Secret Woods Nature Center in and sugar apple), native plants (wild coffee, lau- Broward County, indicates a serious level of infes- rel oak and wax myrtle), and important landscape tation of native species (Howard, unpublished trees and shrubs (black olive, hibiscus, Surinam data; Pemberton, unpublished data). During Oc- cherry, and gardenia). Some plants such as wax tober and November 2002, the lobate lac scale myrtle are killed by the scale. Research to develop was discovered in Everglades National Park, Big control methods is urgently needed. Cypress National Wildlife Refuge and Loxa- hatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Pemberton, REFERENCES CITED unpublished data). For additional information on this important pest, including known host plants HAMON, A. 2001. Lobate lac scale, Paratachardina lo- as of October 2002, see the recently posted Fea- bata lobata (Chamberlin) (Hemiptera: Kerriidae). tured Creatures website (Howard et al. 2002). Bi- Pest Alert, Florida Department of Agriculture and ological control may offer a long term solution Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry. (Pemberton 2003). HOWARD, F. W., R. W. PEMBERTON, A. HAMON, G. Forest W. Howard, University of Florida, Ft. HODGES, C. M. MANNION, D. MCLEAN, AND J. WOF- FORD. 2002. Lobate lac scale, Paratachardina lobata Lauderdale, and Douglas Miller, USDA-ARS Sys- lobata (Hemiptera: Sternorrhycha: Coccoidea: Kerri- tematic Entomology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, idae). Featured Creatures, University of Florida. kindly reviewed the manuscript and contributed Web published: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/ to its improvement. scales/lobate_lac.htm PEMBERTON, R. W. 2003. Potential for biological control of the lobate lac scale, Paratachardina lobata lobata SUMMARY (Hemiptera: Kerriidae). Florida Entomol. 86: 353- 360. A recent insect invader in South Florida, the VARSHNEY, R.K. 1976. Taxonomic studies on lac insects lobate lac scale (Paratachardina lobata lobata) in India. Oriental Insects (New Dehli) Supplement attacked 55% (37/67) of the plant species in 63% 5: 1-97.