Mark Meckes
10th October 2004, 02:47 AM
Exotic Palmicultor mealybugs in Florida (http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/exoticscale&mealybug.htm)
(has photos of P. browni P. palmorum)
Information below was kindly provided by:
Dr. Amanda Hodges - University of Florida
Entomology and Nematology Department
Dr. Greg Hodges
Taxonomic Entomologist (Coccoidea and Aleyrodidae)
Over the last 10 years, three exotic Palmicultor mealybugs have become established in Florida: Palmicultor browni (1995), Palmicultor palmorum (1999), and Palmicultor lumpurensis (2002). In the field, the red to brown bodies of these species are covered with a fine, white wax. Due to their body coloration, Palmicultor mealybugs may superficially resemble pink hibiscus mealybug. Specimens must be slide-mounted in order to confirm genus and species-level identification. Palmicultor browni and P. palmorum both infest palms, particularly Veitchia spp. These mealybugs may cause significant dieback in palms. Currently, they are the most commonly collected mealybugs in south Florida palms by FDACS-DPI inspectors. Palmicultor lumpurensis is a pest of bamboo, particularly Arundinaria and Bambusa spp. High populations can result in the abortion of new shoots. More information is available at: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/t-lumpurensis.html
Known County Distributions (July 2004):
P. browni: Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee
P. palmorum: Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Polk, Flagler
P. lumpurensis: Broward, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Volusia
(has photos of P. browni P. palmorum)
Information below was kindly provided by:
Dr. Amanda Hodges - University of Florida
Entomology and Nematology Department
Dr. Greg Hodges
Taxonomic Entomologist (Coccoidea and Aleyrodidae)
Over the last 10 years, three exotic Palmicultor mealybugs have become established in Florida: Palmicultor browni (1995), Palmicultor palmorum (1999), and Palmicultor lumpurensis (2002). In the field, the red to brown bodies of these species are covered with a fine, white wax. Due to their body coloration, Palmicultor mealybugs may superficially resemble pink hibiscus mealybug. Specimens must be slide-mounted in order to confirm genus and species-level identification. Palmicultor browni and P. palmorum both infest palms, particularly Veitchia spp. These mealybugs may cause significant dieback in palms. Currently, they are the most commonly collected mealybugs in south Florida palms by FDACS-DPI inspectors. Palmicultor lumpurensis is a pest of bamboo, particularly Arundinaria and Bambusa spp. High populations can result in the abortion of new shoots. More information is available at: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/t-lumpurensis.html
Known County Distributions (July 2004):
P. browni: Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee
P. palmorum: Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Polk, Flagler
P. lumpurensis: Broward, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Volusia