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Asian Cycad Scale FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions) Questions
about the Asian cycad scale
Where did the
Asian cycad scale come from?
Where was
this pest discovered?
What
plants does this insect attack?
Why
is the Asian Cycad Scale such a big problem?
How
do I know if I have the Asian Cycad Scale?
Why
is this pest so difficult to control?
Has the cold
winter stopped the scale?
How does the
scale move from plant to plant?
What's
being done by the government about this pest?
How
do I control the Asian cycad scale?
How
often should I use these chemicals?
How
long should I continue spraying? Questions
about the parasitic wasp
If
there are no natural enemies, where did the wasps come from?
Will
the parasitic wasp sting people?
Is
it safe to release this wasp?
Will
I see the parasitic wasps on my sago?
How
soon should we see results from the parasitic wasp? Questions
about sagos
I've
heard that the only thing to do is to dig up infested sagos. Is that true?
Are
other plants or palms affected?
Will
my sagos die if left untreated?
What
should I do to protect sagos that haven't yet been infested
Where did
the Asian cycad scale come from?
Thailand
and southern China. It is believed to have bee accidentally
introduced into Florida through the legal
importation of cycads.
Where
was this pest discovered?
Near Miami in the mid 1990's.
What
plants does this insect attack?
King & Queen sago are the two
primary species. It has been observed
on several other cycads, but does not
attack them as severely. A list of
other species of cycads that are
reported to be attacked are listed at the
Featured
Creatures file at:
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/palms/cycad_scale.htm
Why
is the Asian Cycad Scale such a big problem?
There are several reasons this pest
is difficult to control. It has
no natural enemies, It reproduces
very quickly, the crawler stage
can move on the wind, and it can hide
down in the root system of
the plant.
How
do I know if I have the Asian Cycad Scale?
There are 2 ways to know if the scale
on your sago is Asian
cycad scale.
1) Look at the insect
under a microscope and
compare the image to the photos on
this website.
2) Compare your plants to the photos
on this website.
Click
Here to view the photo page
Why
is this pest so difficult to control?
1) In Florida, this pest has no natural enemies to help control it.
2) It reproduces very quickly
3) It can move on the wind
4) It can live on the roots of sagos
Has the cold
winter stopped the scale?
We
don't know for sure, but the fact that the scale can live on the roots of
sagos would suggest that it could
easily overwinter.
How does the
scale spread?
The Asian cycad scale can spread in at least 2 ways:
1) By the movement of infected plants
or plant debris
2) On the wind from plant to plant
What's
being done by the government
about this pest?
Release of parasitic wasps, and educational efforts to wholesale and retail
nursery owners, horticulture service providers and to homeowners
How
do I control the Asian cycad scale?
There is no clear definitive answer
to that question. Research results have
been mixed. Insecticides currently
being used include:
- horticultural oils
- combinations of horticultural oil
and Malathion (sold as a premixed
concentrate
or mixed together using label rates)
- contact insecticides like Malathion
- systemic insecticides using the
active ingredients
Acephate
DiSyston
Imidacloprid
How
often should I use these chemicals?
In the little research that has been
done, it was noted that within 28 days
of hatching, Asian cycad scale could
begin laying eggs in warmer weather.
To prevent new generations of scale
from hatching and bring this pest
under control, spray every other week
in warmer weather (above 70o
F)
and once a month in colder weather
(below 70o
F).
How
long should I continue spraying?
We truly don't know how long it will
take to establish the parasitic wasp.
We hope that within a year or two
we'll start to see some results from the wasp.
If there are no
natural enemies, where did the wasps
come from?
Florida scientists traveled to Thailand and China to identify and collect
parasites and predators of this scale.
Will the parasitic
wasp sting people?
No. The wasp is about the size of the
period at the end of this
sentence and no threat to people.
Is
it environmentally safe to release this wasp?
APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), part of the
US Department of Agriculture
conducted an environmental assessment
to consider the effects of and
alternatives to release of parasitic and
predaceous insects. they determined
that there is no evidence that the
release of these organisms would have
any adverse effects. Over the last
several decades, several species of
these organisms have been successfully
introduced into the US for control of
other scale with no adverse impacts
reported.
Will
I see the parasitic wasps
on my sago?
Probably not. They're almost too
small to be seen.
How soon should we
see results from the parasitic wasp?
No one really knows. It will probably
take a couple of years at best.
I've heard that the
only thing to do is to dig up infested sagos.
Is that true?
This pest can be controlled with
chemicals, however it will take thorough
and methodical treatment, possibly
for several years. The real issue
is whether or not the sago is worth
the time and effort to the owner.
Are
other palms or plants affected?
This scale is not known to be a
problem of other plants or palms. Sagos
are not really palms. They are
actually in the family of plants known as
cycads that are completely
unrelated to palms but look similar.
Will my sagos
die if left untreated?
Yes. The research indicates that that
Asian cycad scale does kill sagos. In
some cases the sagos were killed
within a year of being infested.
What should I do to
protect sagos that haven't yet been
infested?
Follow the treatment and schedule
recommended above.
visits since Feb 13, 2003
This page last updated on
05/22/08
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