Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds

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Summary

• Widespread distribution. In Oceania, Fiji, French Polynesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Vanuatu. Preys on coconut scale (and other armoured scales, e.g., white peach scale. Eats up to 20 scales a day.
• Eggs laid under scale covers (after scale eaten). Larvae yellow, covered in waxy filaments (outgrowths). Adults, nearly round with black wing cases and brown heads.
• Said to be effective in Fiji (distributions made throughout country) and Jamaica against coconut scale, but poor results elsewhere. Not certain if still in Fiji.
• Biosecurity: need to assess risk before introduction as it is not specific to coconut scale.
• Cultural control: hot water to kill ants: 47°C (note, 49°C kills plants).
• Management: (i) move adults and larvae to colonies of pests; (ii) use sleeve cages to protect populations initially; (iii) avoid use of organophosphates, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids; (iv) control ants: (a) stomach poisons (fipronil, Amdro^®, borax), (b) growth regulators (methoprene, pyriproxyfen), (c) nerve poisons (bifenthrin, fipronil, imidacloprid). See (http://piat.org.nz/getting-rid-of-ants).