The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), was first discovered in the Bahamas in late November of 2000 in New Providence Island confined to the Marathon area. In January of 2001, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, responded to the Bahamas' Department of Agriculture's request for assistance in developing a biological control program for suppressing this invasive pest species. A plan was developed to transfer the biological control technology previously implemented against this pest in the Caribbean in St. Kitts and Nevis, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and in Belize, Central America. Exotic parasites, Anagyrus kamali and Gyranusoidea indica (both Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae),which were being mass produced in San Juan, Puerto Rico by the local Department of Agriculure for local needs, were shipped and released in New Providence Island beginning in January of 2001. Additional parasite releases are made only at newly infested locations. By April of 2001 the mealybug's population density at the study sites had declined by an average of 71%. Populations of the mealybug and its natural enemies continue to be monitored on a quarterly basis and the results up through November of 2001 will be reported in this presentation.
Species 1: Hemiptera Pseudococcidae Maconellicoccus hirsutus (pink Hibiscus mealybug)
Species 2: Hymenoptera Encyrtidae Anagyrus kamali
Species 3: Hymenoptera Encyrtidae Gyranusoidea indica
Keywords: Caribbean
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA