Established & Emerging Landscape

Insect Pests

Adam Dale, PhD

Turf & Ornamental Entomology

Entomology & Nematology Department

Pest-damaged Lawns

• Increase pesticide applications and maintenance inputs (irrigation and labor)

• Provide reduced benefits (water filtration, cooling, carbon sequestration, aesthetic value)

• Incur additional costs to homeowners and lawn managers

Turf & ornamentals are frequently attacked by a mix of native & exotic insect pests…

• The evidence• Southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis

• Southern & tawny mole crickets, Neoscapteriscus spp.

• Tropical sod webworm, Herpetogramma phaeopteralis

• Tuttle mealybug, Brevennia rehi

• Tea scale, Fiorinia theae

• Asian cycad scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui

• Several more…

Exotic Invasions

• Over 20 ports of entry in Florida (land, air, sea)

• Over 85% of plants imported to the U.S. go through the Port of Miami, FL

• Nearly 50 million people visit FL each year

• Florida’s climate supports a diversity of plants and wildlife

Paini et al. 2010. Nature Communications

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

• Science-based, sustainable decision-making process that uses information on pest biology, environmental data, and technology to manage pest damage in a way that minimizes economic costs and risks to people, property, and the environment. – USDA, 2018

Incorporating multiple evidence-based strategies to preventively manage pests with

reduced inputs and non-target impacts

Integrated Pest Management

1. Identification

2. Monitoring

3. Decision making

4. Intervention

5. Evaluation

Arthropod I.D. Resources• IFAS EDIS and Featured Creature fact sheets

• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu• https://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/

• IFAS Entomology Insect I.D. Lab – Lyle Buss• http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/insectid/• ljbuss@ufl.edu, (352) 273-3933

• IFAS Nematode Diagnostic Lab – Dr. Billy Crow• http://nematology.ifas.ufl.edu/assaylab/index.html• NEMALAB@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1994

• Commodity-specific specialists & county agents state-wide• http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/• http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/people-directory/

• IFAS Extension Bookstore I.D. books / decks• http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-153-helpful-harmful-harmless.aspx

Tuttle Mealybug (Brevennia rehi) (aka: Rice mealybug)

• Found globally

• First found in FL in 1975 (Pompano Beach), rarely damaging until early 2000s

• As of 2019, widespread in Florida, documented in Arizona, California, and Texas

• Attacks zoysiagrass and sometimes bermudagrass

Lyle Buss,UF/IFAS

Tuttle mealybug

• Sap-feeding insect

• Bodies are <2 mm long, pink; make white wax

• Look for gray-brown areas and white wax

• Closely inspect declining plant material to confirm identity

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Forms of Intervention in IPM

Incorporate as much of 1-3 as possible and #4 wisely

1. Cultural practices

2. Mechanical control

3. Biological control

4. Chemical control*

Too much or too little?

A 0.5” thatch layer on most turfgrass areas is good

• Cushion and natural nutrient source

Too much thatch:

• Provides refuge for insect pests

• Harbors moisture that may promote pathogen issues

• Inhibits penetration of pesticides

• Ultimately, creates effective lawn management more difficult

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Tuttle mealybug management

• Reduce conducive habitat

• Minimize thatch**

• Do not over-fertilize

• Use sufficient spray volume in liquid applications

• Product options: Use systemic products

• If large infestation, combine with a contact toxic product (e.g. pyrethroid) for initial treatment

• Zylam, Arena, Meridian (systemic with residual activity)

• Ference or Acelepryn for alternative chemical class

• Triple Crown or pyrethroid for an initial treatment in dense infestations

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Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae)

• Three well-established invasive species• Tawny mole cricket

• Southern mole cricket

• Short-winged mole cricket

• One native species• Northern mole cricket

Tawny Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscusvicinus)

• Feed on roots at night

• Adult males call females for 1 hr after sunset

• Egg laying: March – June

• Females make 3-5 egg chambers, each with ~40 eggs

• Eggs hatch in ~3 weeks

• Nymphs feed through summer, most are adults by October

Photos by L. J. Buss, UF/IFAS

Southern Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscusborellii)

• Omnivorous

• Adult males call females for 1 hr after sunset

• Egg laying: May – July

• Eggs hatch in ~3-4 weeks

• Nymphs develop slowly; most overwinter as nymphs

Photos by L. J. Buss, UF/IFAS

You find a mole cricket or suspect damage…

How do you monitor for them?

1.Presence/Absence2.Life stage/size3.Abundance

What does it tell you?

Monitoring for mole crickets

• Proper timing is critical for effective management• Monitor when nymphs are hatching & becoming active

• Soapy water flush is the most practical & easily done

• Ongoing research to develop more sophisticated monitoring tools

• Attracted to bright lights

• Prefer moist soils

• One adult male can bring in dozens of females

Walker, T. Genus Neoscapteriscus. University of Florida.

Mole Crickets

• Males call for females from within their burrows

• Females fly in to mate and lay eggs underground in the tunnels

• One male may attract dozens of females

Brandenburg et al. 2002. Florida Entomologist

Egg Laying and Hatching

• Mated females fly (at night) to find a place to lay their eggs

• Eggs mature inside the female for 9-14 days before being laid

• 25-60 (ave. = 40) gray/brown eggs are laid in a small chamber in the soil, 3-12 in deep

• Eggs develop in soil in approximately 20 days

Mole Cricket Chemical Control

• Hot-dry soils • Will not allow product to get deep into soil

• Will cause crickets to burrow deeper in the soil

• Irrigate dry soils a few days prior to treatment

• Light irrigation afterward to water in – Don’t over irrigate after application

• Long-residual is best – kills nymphs as they hatch

• Fipronil can be applied before egg hatch

• Imidacloprid soon after egg hatch

Brandenburg & Williams. 2002. NCSU

Mole Cricket Management

• All turfgrass species are vulnerable to attack

• Most eggs hatch from April to June

• They are nocturnal, so applications timed for early morning or late afternoon are more successful

• Young nymphs are easier to kill than older nymphs and adults (preventive vs. curative)

• Keep lights off at night

Kerr et al. 2014. UF/IFAS EDIS #IPM-206

Preventive:

• Treat young nymphs ~May, soon after peak egg hatch when nymphs are ~0.5 inches long• Chipco Choice/TopChoice, Provaunt, pyrethroids,

neonicotinoids, combination products

Curative:

• Treat after damage occurs, usually summer, fall, or spring• Baits (e.g., Advion, others)

• Spot treatments (Orthene, Triple Crown, others)

Mole Cricket Management

Tropical sod webworm

Caterpillars

• Young larvae scrape the leaf surface (window-feed).

• Damage may go unnoticed but close inspection finds small (2 - 3 foot diameter) grayish areas.

• Large larvae notch or consume the grass blades, which gives the grass a ragged appearance.

• Larvae of several moth species may feed together.

Tropical Sod Webworm(Herpetogramma phaeopteralis)

• Eggs are very small and deposited in clusters on the surface of leaf blades

• Hatch in ~4 days

• Larvae (caterpillars) feed on leaf surfaces at first and begin to consume entire leaves as they age

• Feed as larvae for approx. 3 – 4 weeks during summer and up to 47 days during cooler months

Fall Armyworm

• Eggs are laid in masses of 100-200 hundred

• Typically on white/light colored surfaces near turf or underside of ornamental plant leaves

• One female will lay 1500 – 2000 eggs

• Eggs hatch in 2 – 3 days during summer months

Fall Armyworm

• Larvae had a distinctive inverted ‘Y’ on their head

• Larvae feed for 2 – 3 weeks during summer months and 4 – 5 weeks during cooler months

• Typically damaging by July/Aug and may last through Oct/Nov

• Established, healthy grass can tolerate damage but newly laid sod or plugs can be killed

Biological Control as an IPM Tactic

1. Classical biological control• Several years of research identifying predators & parasites

in native land

• evaluating predators & parasites for safety in new land

• releasing viable agents in new land & evaluating success

2. Augmentative biological control• Collecting or purchasing predators and parasites and

releasing them on location to enhance existing biological control

3. Conservation biological control• Using cultural and chemical practices that attract or

promote existing biological control

Conservation biological control

Promoting the natural regulation of plant pests with proper pesticide use

Avoid repeat broad-spectrum insecticide apps & use insecticides or application techniques with selectivity for pests, when possible

• Toxic effects on every arthropod encountered

• Beneficials are typically most affected

• Products applied into soil can reduce exposure to non-targets above-ground

• Systemic products can reduce non-target exposure

Caterpillar control & conservation

Active ingredient - Chlorantraniliprole

• Acelepryn (commercial)

• GrubEx (homeowner)

• minimally toxic to predatory beetles and bumble bees

• Excellent residual activity

• Highly effective against caterpillars and beetles

Insecticide Control of Caterpillar Pests

• Treated lawns with:• Bifenthrin (Talstar) – 8 oz/100 gal• Clothianidin (Arena) – 9 oz/100 gal• Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) - 2 oz/100 gal

• Introduced sod webworm caterpillars to treated areas weekly for 5 weeks

Tofangsazi et al. 2014

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Clothianidin

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Insecticide Control of Caterpillar Pests

Tofangsazi et al. 2015

• Chlorantraniliprole did not reduce # of natural enemies or soil-dwelling arthropods

• Clothianidin and bifenthrin did

IPM-compatible insecticides for ornamentals

Insecticidal soaps & horticultural oils can be highly effective

• Insecticidal soaps most effectively reduce adult SOFT SCALES

• Horticultural oils most effectively reduce adult ARMORED SCALES

• Both are equally effective when targeting crawlers

Quesada & Sadof 2017

Tested against pine needle scale, oleander scale, calico scale, and striped pine scale

Insect Growth Regulators

• Distance (pyriproxyfen)

• Talus (buprofezin)

• Interfere with insect growth & development

• Both are translaminar• Penetrate and remain in plant tissue

• Ingested with plant material

New tools for scale control

Mainspring GNL - Cyantraniliprole

• Released in early 2016

• Anthranilic diamide

• Reduced-risk

• Systemic

• Sap-feeding pests

• Foliar & drench applications

• Preventive, not curative

New tools for scale control

Altus - Flupyradifurone

• Released in 2017

• Butenolide insecticide

• Reduced-risk

• Systemic

• Sap-feeding pests

• Foliar & drench applications

• No pollinator protection labeling

New tools for scale control

Ventigra - Afidopyropen

• Released in 2019

• Pyropene insecticide

• Reduced-risk

• Translaminar

• Sap-feeding pests

• Foliar applications

• No pollinator protection labeling

Asian cycad scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui

• First found in FL in Miami in 1996• Now widespread throughout FL• Infests and kills sago cycads• Has nearly eliminated this plant

from ornamental landscapes and nursery production

Asian Cycad Scale ControlInsecticide trial 2018:

• Altus (10 oz/ 100 gal; 14 oz/100 gal)

• Mainspring (6 oz / 100 gal)

• Safari (8 oz/100 gal)

Scale Insect Control• Safari provided control within 28 days

• Mainspring kept population stagnant

• Altus did not provide control over 42 days

Cycad scale insect abundance over time

F4,4 =15.82, P<0.0001

Days after treatmentDays after treatment0 7 14 28 42 0 7 14 28 42

Scal

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bu

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Untreated Mainspring(Cyantraniliprole)

Altus(Flupyridifurone)

Safari(Dinotefuron)

Six months after treatment

Asian Cycad Scale ControlInsecticide trial 2019

• Altus (14 oz / 100 gal)

• Talus (14 oz / 100 gal)

• Ventigra (7 oz / 100 gal)

Asian Cycad Scale Control

Days after treatment0 7 14 28 42

Days after treatment0 7 14 28 42

Total NymphsTotal Adults

Armored Scale Control Recommendations

Insecticide program:1. Buprofezin (Talus)2. Horticultural oil3. Dinotefuran (Safari)4. Afidopyropen (Ventigra)

• Cyantraniliprole (Mainspring) - No control• Flupyridifurone (Altus) – Moderate control

Regardless of your product, it’s a long-term battle & the cheap products do not work

Forms of Intervention in IPM

Incorporate as much of 1-3 as possible and #4 appropriately

1. Cultural practices

2. Mechanical control

3. Biological control

4. Chemical control Immediate / short-term solutions

Longer-term solutions

1. Cultural Control Tactics

Long-term, sustainable pest management strategies for reducing pests and promoting plant / ecosystem health

Habitat manipulation through:

a. Plant selection

b. Plant diversity

Rangasamy et al. 2006. Journal of Economic Entomology

Cultivar Development

New cultivar available :

• ‘CitraBlue’ St. Augustinegrass• Excellent drought tolerance

• Improved resistance to gray leaf spot, large patch, & take-all root rot

• Improved shade tolerance

• Increased density compared to Floratam

• Moderate chinch bug tolerance

Tea scale, Fiorinia theae

Armored scale

Native to Asia

Widely distributed in Southern US 1

Most damaging pest of Camellias3 & common pest of hollies

• Top 10 most important scale pests of North and Central Florida nurseries 4

(Miller 2016; García Morales et al. 2016; English & Turnipseed 1940; Dekle 1965)

Tea scaleFiorinia theae

Cultural Pest Control Strategies(for tea scale)

• Using pest resistant or tolerant plants can drastically reduce pest pressure and management inputs

Hollies (Ilex spp) Camellias (Camellia spp)

• Ilex cornuta• Ilex opaca

• Ilex vomitoria

• Camellia japonica• Camellia sasanqua

• Camellia sinensis? ?

Camellia sinensisTraditional tea

Evergreen shrub or small tree

New leaf flush harvested to produce the second most-consumed beverage worldwide1

Grown in 17 US states2

Growing interest in Florida as a citrus alternative or companion crop3

(Chang 2015; Pettigrew 2018; Orrock et al. 2017)

Ilex vomitoria, Yaupon holly

Evergreen shrub or small tree

Native to Southeastern USA

Cultivated and brewed by Native Americans, Spanish colonists, later European settlers 1, 2

Resurging interest in Florida as a citrus alternative and locally-produced beverage

(Hudson 1979, Palumbo et al. 2009)

Host Susceptibility to Tea Scale

Inoculated plants

with 4 leaves per

plant in August,

October, and March

Recorded tea scale

abundance after 1

year = 5 to 6

generations

Infested

Ilex

Infested

Camellia

5 Weeks

Tea Scale Damage

Tea scale plant recommendations

- Camellia is more susceptible to tea scale than holly

- Camellia japonica is the most susceptible Camellia species

- Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) and American holly (I. opaca) are poor hosts of tea scale

- Chinese holly (I. cornuta) is highly susceptible

Planting yaupon holly will reduce scale insect management inputs

Yaupon holly and tea are both consumable and can also reduce tea scale pressure in the landscape

Summary

• Knowing pest biology and seasonality is critical

• Insecticide selection determines compatibility with beneficial organisms and long-term pest control efficacy

• Successful IPM relies on good cultural practices

• Plant diversity and plant selection makes a difference

• Greater plant diversity increases resilience to exotic pest invasions**

• For updates on landscape pest management:

• @adamGdale

• http://dalelab.org

• agdale@ufl.edu

Recent EDIS publications:• Natural products for managing insects on landscape plants• Managing insecticide and miticide resistance on landscape plants• Managing crapemyrtle bark scale• Managing southern chinch bugs in Florida lawns• Stinging and urticating caterpillars of Florida• Managing bermudagrass mite

http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-153-helpful-harmful-harmless.aspxUF/IFAS Extension Bookstore:

Acknowledgements:• UF/IFAS • FNGLA• TPF• Syngenta• FMC• NTEP• On Top of the World• USDA-NIFA

Thank you!