The Mexican lac scale, Tachardiella mexicana (Comstock) (Hemiptera: Kerriidae), is native to Mexico and Texas. This species was first discovered in Florida in 1985 at a theme park in Lake Buena Vista and a second population was discovered in 1987 at a nursery in Redlon (Seminole County) that is no longer in business. In 2006, a population was discovered in Fort Myers (Lee County), and a re-sampling of the area in 2010 revealed that the populations were established on the host trees. Before June 2010, all host records, including both previously published host records and unpublished host records maintained by the Division of Plant Industry (DPI), were from fabaceous plants such as Acacia spp., Pitheleocelobium flexicaule, Ebenopsis ebano and Lysiloma spp. However, in June 2010, a second population at Lake Buena Vista was discovered feeding on wax myrtle, Myrica cerifera (Myricaceae).

Author: Ian Stocks, Taxonomic Entomologist, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.

Originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 423

This UF-IFAS Pest Alert announcement was provided by Featured Creatures editor, Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman gillett@ufl.edu

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/ORN/MEALYBUG/tachardiella_mexicana.htm

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