furcata) (FDACS/DPI, 2002). These thrips are foliage feeders North American Plant Protection Organization’s Phytosanitary causing galling and leaf curl, which is cosmetic and has not Alert System been associated with plant decline. This feeding damage is http://www.pestalert.org only to new foliage and appears to be seasonal. This pest is be- coming established in urban areas causing concern to home- Literature Cited owners and commercial landscapers due to leaf damage. Control is difficult due to protection by leaf galls. Howev- Edwards, G. B. 2002. Pest Alert, Holopothrips sp., an Introduced Thrips Pest er, systemic insecticides are providing some control. No bio- of Trumpet Tree. March 2002. <http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/ ento/images/paholo-pothrips3.02.gif>. controls have been found. FDACS/DPI. 2002. TRI-OLOGY. Mar.-Apr. 2002. Fla. Dept. Agr. Cons. Serv./ Div. Plant Ind. Newsletter, vol. 41, no. 2. <http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/ Resources for New Insect Pest Information enpp/02-mar-apr.html>. Howard, F. W., A. Hamon, G. S. Hodges, C. M. Mannion, and J. Wofford. 2002. Lobate Lac Scale, Paratachardina lobata lobata (Chamberlin) (Hemip- The following are some web sites and list serves for addi- tera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Kerriidae). Univ. of Fla. Cir., EENY- tional information on new insects pests in Florida. 276. <http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN471>. Hoy, M. A., A. Hamon, and R. Nguyen. 2003. Pink Hibiscus Mealybug, Ma- University of Florida Pest Alert conellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Insecta: Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert/ Univ. of Fla. Cir., EENY-29. <http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/mealybug/ mealybug.htm>. DPI Pest Alert Klassen, W., C. F. Brodel, and D. A. Fieselmann. 2002. Exotic Pests of Plants: Current and Future Threats to Horticultural Production and Trade in http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/ento/ Florida and the Caribbean Basin. Micronesica. Supplement 6. Hodges, G., F. W. Howard, and E. A. Buss. 2003. Update on Management USDA /APHIS Methods for Cycad Aulacaspis Scale. 12 March 2003. <http://doacs. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/ state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/ento/aulacaspis.html>. Shannon, M. 1999. Challenges in Safeguarding Florida and the U.S. against University of Florida Featured Creatures Invasive Pests. In Mitigating the Effects of Exotic Pests on Trade and Ag- http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu riculture, Part A. The Caribbean. TSTAR Workshop X, Univ. of Fla./Mi- ami-Dade County Ext., Campbell Agricultural Center, Homestead, FL. University of Florida EDIS June 16-18, 1999. Thomas, M. C. 2002. Pest Alert: Myllocerus undatus Marshall, a weevil new to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu the Western Hemisphere. 30 May 2002. <http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/ enpp/ento/weevil-pest-alert.htm>. Pink Hibiscus Mealybug website USDA. 1998. Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green). U.S. http://www.mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/PinkMealybug.htm Dept. Agr. Cir., State and Private Forestry HY-1. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 116:345-347. 2003. SURVIVAL OF THE CYCAD AULACASPIS SCALE IN NORTHERN FLORIDA DURING SUB-FREEZING WEATHER EDWIN R. DUKE1 AND ALFREDO B. LORENZO noted in numerous locations throughout the state. In addition, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University infested plants have been reported in Alabama, California, Ornamental Horticulture Program Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas. The pri- 306 Perry Paige Bldg. mary method of long-distance spread is presumed to be by the transport of infested plants. While the worst infestations tend Tallahassee, FL 32307 to be in warmer climates (primarily USDA zones 9 and 10), the presence of the scale in areas where temperatures regularly FOREST W. HOWARD fall below the freezing point would seem to indicate that the University of Florida Cycad Aulacaspis Scale can survive in any area where a host Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center plant may be found. In 2001, specimens of Aulacaspis ya- Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314 sumatsui were identified on Cycas revoluta plants growing in Leon County (USDA zone 8b). The infestations were purposely Additional index words. Aulacaspis yasumatsui, Cycas revoluta left uncontrolled in order to observe the effects of freezing temperatures on scale survival. In February 2002 and again in January 2003, nighttime temperatures in Leon County Abstract. The cycad aulacaspis scale insect, Aulacaspis yasu- dropped below 20 °F (-6.7 °C) for a minimum of 4 h. Live scale matsui, was accidentally introduced into southern Florida in insects were found on leaf samples collected within 24 h of 1996. Since its initial discovery in the Miami area, it has been each occurrence of freezing temperatures. The new flush of growth occurring on infested plants in the spring 2002 grow- ing season was quickly covered with a white crust of primarily 1Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected]. male insects, typical of Cycad Aulacaspis Scale infestations. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 116: 2003. 345 This seemed to indicate that the insects were not significantly that the insect would be limited in its northern movement in impacted by the sub-freezing temperatures experienced the the state by cold and freezing weather. The scale is tropical in preceding winter. origin and the thought was that it possibly could not survive temperatures below 32 °F. A native of Japan, the King Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta Thunb.) is an important landscape plant in subtropical and Materials and Methods warm-temperate climates. It is valued for its tropical appear- ance, architectural form and relatively low maintenance re- In May 2001, samples of insects tentatively identified as quirements. Its growth range encompasses all of Florida, and Cycad Aulacaspis Scale (Aulacaspis yasumatsui) were collected extends into southern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi- from a King Sago Palm plant (Cycas revoluta) growing on the ana and Texas. Temperatures in the northern most areas of campus of FAMU in Tallahassee, Leon Co., Fla. Samples were the King Sago Palm’s range regularly drop into the low to mid taken to Dr. F. W. Howard at the University of Florida’s Ft. teens (degrees Fahrenheit) in the colder months. Especially Lauderdale Research and Education Center for positive iden- cold temperatures may result in damage to the plant’s foliage, tification. No prior confirmation of this insect had been made but the meristem and trunk typically survive. in Leon County and this site constitutes the northern-most re- In 1996, cycad specimens, including Cycas revoluta, grow- ported specimen in the state of Florida (G. Hodges, DPI, per- ing at Fairchild Tropical Gardens and Montgomery Botanical sonal communication). Center in southern Miami-Dade County were found to be in- The infested plant was left untreated in order to observe fested with a scale insect later identified as Aulacaspis yasumat- the survival of the insect during the winter months when tem- sui. Populations of the insects quickly reached high densities peratures dropped below freezing. Samples of leaves with at- on the host plants, causing necrosis of the fronds, and even- tached insects were collected for insect viability testing after tually death of the plants (Howard et al., 1999). each occurrence of freezing temperatures in the winter of Initial control methods proved ineffective, and the insects 2001-2002 and also in the winter of 2002-2003. Assessments of began to spread throughout southern Florida (Weissling et viability were made between 24 and 48 h after the occurrence al., 1999). Movement was rapid. By 1997 the scale had spread of a freeze. Insects were observed under a dissecting micro- to northern Miami-Dade County, in 1998 it was well-estab- scope to determine viability. lished throughout Broward County, and in 1999 communities in Palm Beach County were reporting infestations to local Results and Discussion agencies. In 2000 nurseries in the Orlando area were finding infested plants in their stock and infested plants were found Night-time temperatures dropped below freezing several at the Florida Nurserymen and Allied Trades Show (FNATS) times during December 2001 and January 2002 but stayed in Orlando. In 1998, insects from heavily infested Cycas revolu- above 28 °F. At no time did the temperatures remain below ta plants on the island of Oahu, Hawaii were identified as the freezing for more than 1 h. No sign of increased insect mortality Cycad Aulacaspis Scale. Speculation is that the insects were in- was noted following these freezes. These freezes were not con- troduced into Hawaii from Florida (Heu and Chun, 1999). sidered severe or hard freezes due to the temperature reached The primary means of long-distance movement seems to be and the duration of the freeze. On 18 February 2002, night-time through the transportation of infested plant material, while temperatures on the FAMU campus dropped to 19 °F and local movement is accomplished mainly through wind dis- stayed below 20 °F for a two-hour period. Again, no sign of in- persal of the immature stage (Weissling et al., 1999). creased insect morality was noted following this freeze. The Cycad Aulacaspis Scale was first identified as occur- The winter of 2001-2002 was considered to be relatively ring on cycad species in Thailand in 1972 (Takagi, 1977). It mild when compared to an average winter for the Tallahassee was considered a pest, but was typically kept at low densities area. The mild effects have been attributed to La Nina. In an by natural predators. The rapid spread and unusually high average winter (80-year mean) Tallahassee can be expected population density of the Cycad Aulacaspis Scale found in to experience 34 d when temperatures drop below 32 °F. Of Florida suggested that it was imported without any of its nat- these days, two can be expected to have temperatures drop- ural enemies. In 2002, the USDA-APHIS approved the release ping into the mid teens (B.