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Funded Project

Funding Program: IPM Enhancement Grants

Project Title: Scales as beneficial insects? Tree pests sustain biological control in urban landscapes

Project Director (PD): Steven Frank [1]

Lead State: NC Lead Organization: North Carolina State UNiversity

Cooperating State(s): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee

Undesignated Funding: $29,811

Start Date: Mar-01-2019 End Date: Feb-28-2020

Pests Involved: aphids, scales, mealybugs

Site/Commodity: urban landscapes

Area of Emphasis: biological control

Summary: Urban trees often have more pests, particularly scale insects, than trees in rural areas. In extreme locations, such as parking lots, tree stress and scale density are so high that insecticide applications and other maintenance are necessary to sustain tree health. However, in more hospitable locations, such as residential landscapes, many tree species are resilient to moderate scale density and generally do not require insecticides. By supporting scales and other herbivores these trees also support robust natural enemy communities. Thus, scales could be beneficial insects if predators and parasitoids they support improve landscape IPM and reduce insecticide use. The problem addressed by this proposal is that many urban trees have scale infestations for which insecticide applications are frequently desired by homeowners and landscape professionals but which are unnecessary and often ineffective. Insecticide applications to trees and other plants could be reduced if moderate scale infestations increase conservation biological control. Willow oaks (Quercus phellos) are among the most common urban trees throughout the Southeast. We have found that nearly all willow oaks in urban landscapes host low to moderate densities of lecanium scales (Parthenolecanium spp.) while maintaining growth. These willow oaks host high densities of dozens of generalist parasitoid and predator species. Our goal is to understand if, and under what circumstances, willow oaks promote conservation biological control in ornamental landscapes and develop these benefits as an IPM tool. Our objectives for this seed grant are to determine if 1) natural enemy abundance is greater and pest density lower on landscape plants surrounding scale-infested willow oaks compared to plants surrounding uninfested trees; 2) if predation or parasitism rates are higher near scale-infested willow oaks than near uninfested trees; and 3) produce articles and outreach material promoting the benefits of low pest densities and conservation biological control in IPM. Objectives: 1) natural enemy abundance is greater and pest density lower on landscape plants surrounding scale-infested willow oaks compared to plants surrounding uninfested trees; 2) if predation or parasitism rates are higher near scale-infested willow oaks than near uninfested trees; and 3) produce articles and outreach material promoting the benefits of low pest densities and conservation biological control in IPM.

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