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Fiorinia phantasma Cockerell & Robinson is an invasive, polyphagous pest recently found causing frond losses in ornamental palms in Miami-Dade County and in nurseries in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. In this article, we document the discovery of this pest, its associated damage, closely related species, potential host plant species, a field guide, basic diagnostics, field dispersal, and available management options. Fiorinia phantasma is a pest of concern for ornamental plants demanding quick development of its management in Florida and preventative measures for other states in the United States. This article will help in detecting, identifying, and managing its early infestations.

A pheromone-based system to locate and monitor Planococcus minor (Maskell), a pest of over 250 plants including citrus, grape, and cacao, was tested. The difficulty in distinguishing P. minor from the citrus mealybug, P. citri, makes finding and evaluating the impact of the pest challenging. Studies conducted in Puerto Rico determined that synthetic P. minor pheromone lures preaged 120 d in the field caught similar number of males as lures not aged (fresh). Molecular analysis of trapped mealybug males using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase-1, the internal transcriber space two locus, and 28S-D2 gene showed the pheromone traps to be species specific. Traps baited with P. minor pheromone were used to monitor the pest in south Florida and to locate potential infestations. P. minor males were found at all locations studied in South Florida and were present in low numbers (1.03 ± 0.69 mean ± SE/trap/14 d). Over 14,000 terminals, fruit, and flowers were visually inspected over a 6 mo period of peak tra...

Acoustic devices provide nondestructive, remote, automated detection, and monitoring of hidden insect infestations for pest managers, regulators, and researchers. In recent decades, acoustic devices of various kinds have been marketed for field use, and instrumented sample containers in sound-insulated chambers have been developed for commodity inspection. The efficacy of acoustic devices in detecting cryptic insects, estimating population density, and mapping distributions depends on many factors, including the sensor type and frequency range, the substrate structure, the interface between sensor and substrate, the assessment duration, the size and behavior of the insect, and the distance between the insects and the sensors. Considerable success has been achieved in detecting grain and wood insect pests. Microphones are useful sensors for airborne signals, but vibration sensors interface better with signals produced in solid substrates, such as soil, grain, or fibrous plant structures. Ultrasonic sensors are particularly effective for detecting wood-boring pests because background noise is negligible at > 20 kHz frequencies, and ultrasonic signals attenuate much less rapidly in wood than in air; grain, or soil. Problems in distinguishing sounds produced by target species from other sounds have hindered usage of acoustic devices, but new devices and signal processing methods have greatly increased the reliability of detection. One new method considers spectral and temporal pattern features that prominently appear in insect sounds but not in background noise, and vice versa. As reliability and ease of use increase and costs decrease, acoustic devices have considerable future promise as cryptic insect detection and monitoring tools.

Important life history parameters of the mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), were characterized on hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) cuttings at six constant temperatures between 15 and 35 degrees C. The development of M. hirsutus was the fastest at 27 degrees C, where the mealybugs completed development in approximately 29 d. The lower (T(min)) and upper (T(max)) developmental thresholds and the optimal developmental temperature (T(opt)) for the development of female mealybugs were estimated as 14.5, 35, and 29 degrees C, respectively. The thermal constant (K), which is the number of temperature-day or degree-day units required for development, of the females was 347 DD. The original distribution range prediction (based on T(min) = 17.5 degrees C and K = 300 DD) indicated that M. hirsutus could complete at least one generation in all of the continental United States. However, results of this study suggested that the distribution range of M. hirsutus may expand northward because of the lower T(min), and the predicted number of generations in a year may be lower because of the higher K required to complete each generation. The average cumulative survival rate of M. hirsutus at 25 and 27 degrees C was 72%, which was significantly higher than 51 and 62% at 20 and 30 degrees C, respectively. M. hirsutus reproduced sexually, with each mated female producing 260-300 eggs between 20 and 27 degrees C but only approximately 100 eggs at 30 degrees C. Female longevity was reduced from 28 d at 20 degrees C to 19-21 d at 25-30 degrees C. At 27 degrees C, the net reproductive rate (R(o)) was estimated at 165 female symbol/female symbol, the intrinsic rate of population increase (r(m)) was 0.119 (female symbol/female symbol/d), the generation time (T(G)) was 43 d, and the doubling time (DT) was 5.8 d. The life table statistics suggested that the currently released biological control agents, which have higher r(m) than M. hirsutus, will be able to complete more generations than the mealybug within the tested temperature range; thus, they are effective against M. hirsutus.

Our previous field studies suggested that the two chiral centers in the sex pheromone of pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, could elicit different male responses. The chiral center in the acid moiety of the pheromone seemed to be more critical than the alcohol portion of the pheromone molecule for attractiveness. The objective of the current study was to test this hypothesis by deploying stereoisomeric blends in pheromone traps. Captures of male M. hirsutus showed that pheromone with the naturally occurring (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate [R-S configuration] was most attractive and that pheromone with the unnatural S-S configuration was less attractive. In addition, the RS-R blend (containing R-R and S-R stereoisomers) yielded captures of male M. hirsutus that were comparable to blank controls, and an inhibitory effect was observed when R-R and S-R were combined with naturally occurring R-S blend. These results suggest a unique chirality recognition mechanism; olfactory discrimination among different pheromone stereoisomers depends upon both asymmetric centers. The S configuration on the acid moiety elicits attraction, whereas the R configuration induces inhibition. However, the attractive activity shows some degree of tolerance toward chirality change in the alcohol portion of the pheromone molecules.