What is it? Pest of cycads Cycad Aulacaspis Scale Aulacaspis yasumatsui Family Diaspididae (armored...
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Transcript of What is it? Pest of cycads Cycad Aulacaspis Scale Aulacaspis yasumatsui Family Diaspididae (armored...
What is it?
Pest of cycads
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Aulacaspis yasumatsuiFamily Diaspididae (armored scale)
• Originally described from Thailand
• Found in Miami, Florida in 1996• Spreading northward in Florida
into Georgia• Very similar to a common scale in
Florida – Magnolia white scale (Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli)
Where is it from?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
What Does it Look Like?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Female
Male
Female
What Does it Look Like?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
What Does it Look Like?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
What Does it Look Like?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Explosive population growth
• Life cycle – 28 days
• Females lay more than 100 eggs
• Egg hatch 8-12 days
• Most females live approximately 1 month (as long as 75 days)
• Infests the plant roots
• Males do not feed
Biology
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Damage?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
• Initially appears as chlorotic spots
• Fronds eventually become brown and desiccated
• Cycads become completely coated with a “white crust”
• Potential for disease development
• Ultimately plant death
Damage?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Damage?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
What are the Host Plants?
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
• Cycads
• Preferred host is Cycas species (king and queen sago)
• Observed on Dioon, Encephalartos, Microcycas and Stangeria
How Do I Control It?
• Control is difficult
• Long-term, continuous effort
• Continuous re-infestation from crawlers from the roots
• Inconsistent results
• Introduction of natural enemies
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
How Do I Control It? Biological Control
Two natural enemies were imported from Thailand and released in 1997 and 1998
• Coccobius fulvus – wasp parasitoid
• Cybocephalus binotatus – beetle predator
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Biological Control - Parasitoid
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Female Wasp
Biological Control - ParasitoidCycad Aulacaspis Scale
Wasp parasitizes the female scale
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Biological Control - Parasitoid
Development of the wasp inside the scale
Wasp larva
Wasp pupa
Biological Control - Parasitoid
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Autoparasitism
One female wasp larva Two wasp larvae
One male wasp larva
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Biological Control - Parasitoid• Well established in southern Florida• Contributed to the control of this pest• Still have live cycads in southern
Florida• Need additional control measures• When possible, use low-risk
pesticides• On going efforts to release more
parasites (regulatory agencies)
Biological Control - Predator
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
FemaleMale
Biological Control - Predator
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Biological Control - Predator
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Biological Control - Predator
• Well established in southern Florida
• Probably not as good as the wasp parasitoid
• Need additional control measures
• When possible, use low-risk pesticides
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
How Do I Control It? Cultural Control
• Vigorous blast of water
• Removal of fronds
• Plant health
• Removal of plant
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
How Do I Control It? Oils and Pesticides
• Spray coverage is essential
• Repeat application
• Foliar and soil application
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
• Horticultural oil
• Organocide (fish oil)
• Insecticides (Dimethoate, Orthene, Distance)
How Do I Control It? Oils and Pesticides
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Aulacaspis Cycad Scale Test
• Host plant: cycad (King Sago); 1 gal container• At the onset of the test, cycad infestation
among plants varied from low to high but in general was moderate. Plants were distributed so that varying infestation levels were in all treatments.
• Each treatment was replicated 5 times • All foliar treatments were applied at 3 week
intervals (0, 3, 6, 9 weeks)• All drench treatments were applied on day one
(no repeat application) • Female scales and eggs were evaluated under a
microscope; each plant was evaluated on a 1-5 scale (1 = low infestation; 5 = heavy infestation)
Mortality of Female Aulacaspis Scale
0
20
40
60
80
100
2 4 6 8 10 12
Weeks After Treatment
Mea
n P
erce
nt
Mor
tali
ty
Organocide(F) Merit(F) Merit(D)Merit(D) / Organo(F) Distance(F) Distance (D)Dimethoate(F) Dimethoate(D) Control
Female Aulacaspis Scale With Dead Eggs
0
20
40
60
80
100
2 4 6 8 10 12
Weeks After Treatment
Mea
n P
erce
nt F
emal
e w
ith
Dea
d E
ggs
Organocide(F) Merit(F) Merit(D)Merit(D) / Organo(F) Distance(F) Distance (D)Dimethoate(F) Dimethoate(D) Control
Infestation Level of Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
0
1
2
3
4
5
2 4 6 8 10 12
Weeks After Treatment
Infe
stat
ion
Rat
ing
(1-5
)
Organocide(F) Merit(F) Merit(D)Merit(D) / Organo(F) Distance(F) Distance (D)Dimethoate(F) Dimethoate(D) Control
How Do I Control It?
1. Monitor
2. Water wash
3. Oil spray
4. Soil and or foliar insecticide
5. Removal of fronds
6. Removal of plant
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale
Catharine MannionResearch and Extension Specialist
Ornamental Entomology
University of Florida, IFASTropical Research and Education Center
18905 SW 280th StreetHomestead, FL 33031