Temperature-Dependent Development of the Cycad Aulacaspis Scale, Aulacaspis Yasumatsui (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) (Report‪)‬

The cycad aulacaspis scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi, is a native of Southeast Asia, and an invasive pest in Florida, Texas, Hawaii, West Indies, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Ivory Coast (Germain & Hodges 2007) and in Guam where it is killing large numbers of the native Cycas micronesica K. D. Hill (Terry & Marler 2005). It was first detected in south Florida in 1998 and quickly spread throughout the state. The scale infests several species of cycads (Howard et al. 1999), but the king sago, Cycas revoluta Thunberg, a popular landscape plant due to its attractive form and minimal maintenance requirements, appears to be especially susceptible. Since 1998, large numbers of king sagos in south Florida have been destroyed by the cycad aulacaspis scale. A number of natural enemies are being studied in a biological control program to manage the pest. In order to better understand host-natural enemy relationships, the development time of the cycad aulacaspis scale was examined at 9 constant temperatures and compared to the development time of 3 natural enemies occurring in Florida, the parasitic wasp Coccobius fulvus (Compere and Annecke) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and the predatory beetles Rhyzobius lophanthae (Blaisdell) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Cybocephalus nipponicus Endrody-Younga (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae). MATERIALS AND METHODS