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Ian C. Stocks, stocksi@doacs.state.fl.us, Biologist Scientist IV, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry

Greg Hodges, hodgesg@doacs.state.fl.us, Bureau Chief - Entomology, Nematology and Plant Pathology, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry

INTRODUCTION: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Pest Survey Specialists Andrew Derksen and Karolynne Griffiths collected this New Western Hemisphere Record on 13 November 2009 in the Rosemary Scrub Natural Area, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County. The host plant was dodder (Cuscuta exaltata Engelm) (Fig. 1), a parasitic plant. Native to Asia, this mealybug has been previously intercepted at several ports-of-entry on plants from several plant families.

DESCRIPTION: Approximately 4 mm long by 3 mm wide with body color black, purple to blue green with thick white or pale yellow wax. Females produce an ovisac (Fig. 2) with a wax that is sticky when touched. In high densities (Fig. 3), waxy secretions may appear as a continuous layer of wax which will obscure individual mealybugs. Wax may turn yellow in older infestations. Specimens do turn black in 70% alcohol. Species identification or confirmation will require slide mounting.

BIOLOGY: There is extensive published information on the development and bionomics of this species in Asian countries. In laboratory settings, it was shown that high humidity and high temperatures (>30°C; 86°F) adversely affect development and survival.

HOSTS: CAPS pest survey specialists noted that the original population of mealybugs was restricted to dodder. There are several co-occurring species of Cuscuta in South Florida, so it is possible that species other than C. exaltata could serve as hosts. A subsequent collection on 9 December 2009 recovered the mealybug from Ximenia americana (tallow wood) (Olacaceae). Published collection records state that suitable plant hosts are found in 35 plant families, including Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Solanaceae. It has been intercepted at US ports on Punica sp. (Lythraceae), Nephelium sp. (Sapindaceae), Eugenia sp. (Myrtaceae) and Citrus sp. (Rutaceae). In Okinawa, it is a significant pest of mango, and is a serious pest of citrus in South Africa.

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: This is an agricultural pest in Asia that attacks food, forage, ornamental crops and fiber crops, such as cotton. It is also a pest of stored potatoes. Nipaecoccus viridis is widespread throughout the tropics and subtropics, attacking numerous plant species and often causing considerable damage (Clausen 1978; Sharaf and Meyerdirk 1987). The potential for invasiveness appears high.

NATURAL ENEMIES: The literature reports that there are several natural enemies of the Lebbeck mealybug including the mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, which is present in Florida. The parasitic wasp Anagyrus indicus (Encyrtidae) was an effective control for an infestation in Jordan, but this species does not occur in the United States.

DISTRIBUTION: Found in several countries in the Afrotropical, Australasian (including Hawaiian islands), Oriental and Palearctic regions. Florida distribution: Palm Beach County.

REFERENCES:

Bhuiya, B.A., S.H. Chowdhury, and S.M.H. Kabir, 1997. An annotated list of chalcidoid parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of Coccoidea (Homoptera) on guava in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Zoology 25(1): 55-56.

Ben-Dov, Y., D.R. Miller, and G.A.P. Gibson, 2009. ScaleNet, Nipaecoccus viridis. 21 January 2010. http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/ScaleKeys/Mealybugs/Key/Mealybugs/
Media/html/SpeciesListFset.html [accessed on January 2, 2010].

Clausen, C.P. 1978. In: Introduced parasites and predators of arthropod pests and weeds: a world review. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. 545 pp.

Sharaf, N.W. and D.E. Meyerdirk, 1987. A review on the biology, ecology and control of Nipaecoccus viridis (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Miscellaneous Publications of the Entomological Society of America 66: 1-18.

Willams, D. J. 2004. Mealybugs of southern Asia. The Natural History Museum, London. 896 pp.