Notification
New State Record
Lobate Lac Scale
Paratachardina pseudolobata Kondo
and Gullan (Hemiptera: Kerriidae)
Prepared by:
Bemarr Kumashiro, Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture Insect Taxonomist and WPDN PI Bemarr.R.Kumashiro@ hawaii.gov
Sooty mold covered
Ficus benjamina
Mature females adults and immatures dieback
Photos by HDOA staff
On October 12, 2012, an arborist
from a tree service company brought to the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture Taxonomy
Lab samples of Ficus benjamina stems
that were heavily covered by sooty mold. The sample was obtained from Moanalua
Gardens, located in the
Honolulu district, a few miles from the airport.
Insect Taxonomist Bemarr
Kumashiro
and Walter Nagarnine examined
the samples. The red nymphs were readily noticable. Upon closer inspection, the derm of several adults could be seen imbedded in the sooty mold. Searching
through literature, it was suspected that the pest was the lobate
lac scale,
Paratachardina pseudolobata Kondo and Gullan (Coccoidea: Kerriidae). This scale is a new state record, when confirmed. Kondo's
and Gullan's paper,
Taxonomic review of the lac insect
genus Paratachardina...., showed photos (figure 2B) of P. pseudolobata which matched well with our specimens.
In the afternoon of Oct. 12, HDOA staff went to Moanalua Gardens and collected
additional samples from F. microcarpa, F. benjamina, F.religiosa, hibiscus, and mango. Infestations on some trees were very heavy.
On October
15, acting SPRO Neil Reimer, asked Kumashiro
(WPDN PI) to process
the sample through the NPDN protocol
(which involves rapid identification and notification to proper authorities). Kumashiro called the SPHD
office and notified
Dorothy Alontaga, and WPDN deputy director
Carla Thomas. Also, he alerted
the Systematic Entomology
Lab (Geoff White, Greg Evans, and Dug Miller) that samples will be corning and that the
identification is urgent.
Because it takes time for mounted slides to dry, alcohol
specimens were sent instead.
On October
19, Reimer received
from USDA-APHIS-PPQ Emergency Domestic
Programs, the identification that was made by Systematic
Entomology Lab in Beltsville, MD. It was confirmed as the Lobate Lac Scale,
Paratachardina pseudolobata.
This appears to be a serious
pest of a wide variety of plants. See the link below. Besides the hosts listed above at Moanalua
Gardens, it was also found on gardenia
and Koelreuteria elegans. In the continental US, it is established only in Florida.
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