Cycad Aulacaspis Scale

Wide spread throughout South Florida and now affecting Monroe County, is the Cycad Aulacaspis Scale. It has been observed only on plants in the Cycad families, and especially affecting King and Queen Sagos, eventually resulting in death of the plant if left untreated. This armored scale insect is a very tiny creature that lives beneath a wax scale that it constructs. Contact insecticides are rarely effective against mature scale insects, and chemical control must be timed to the emergence of crawlers (immature scale insects).

For this reason the University of Florida / Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service is taking part in a biocontrol program for this pest.

What to look for

An infected tree will be encrusted with a white powdery substance and may have yellow and brown fronds (leaves). See figure below:

• Latest update on Cycad Scale
• UF Cycad Scale page
• Hillsborough County - Asian Cycad Scale
• Fairchild Tropical Gardens - Cycad Scale
• UF Featured Creatures- Cycad Scale
• DOACSCycad aulacaspis scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui
• Sarasota County Extension - Cycad Scale 
• Gemplers IPM Solutions
• Collier County Extension - Cycad Scale
• APHIS Web - Cycad Scale
• EPA- Federal Register - Cycad Scale
• The Broward Gardener Newsletter - Broward Co. Extension Service
• UF/IFAS/Prohort - Cycad Scale
• The Cycad Jungle
• Article on Asian Cycad Scale from the Cycad Jungle

 

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