New Guide Details Management of Invasive Scale Insect in Florida
The scale insect Fiorinia phantasma, sometimes known as phantasma scale, arrived in Florida in 2018 and threatens palm, ornamental, and fruit trees. A new guide in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines biology and management of the invasive pest.
Cut It Out! Managing Southern Pine Beetle Infestations in a Changing Forest Environment
The southern pine beetle is the most impactful pest of southern pines in the eastern U.S. A new article in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management reviews SPB suppression methods, which generally involve removing the infested (and some uninfested) trees to halt the spread of the outbreak.
Not So Fast! International Biosecurity Program Succeeds in Preventing Spread of Invasive Moth
The moth Lymantria dispar asiatica has been unintentionally introduced to North America several times in the last few decades. Through a complex monitoring and management program, officials have been able to prevent this pest from establishing in North American forests. A new report in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management gives an inside look at this success.
How Flea-Killing Fungus Could Keep Prairie Dogs From Spreading Plague
Prairie dogs in the western U.S. can carry the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, and their fleas play a primary role in spreading it among prairie dogs and to other animals. A group of scientists say insect-pathogenic fungi that target those fleas could be a useful tool in interrupting that transmission route.