Cold tolerance of the crape myrtle bark scale, Eriococcus lagerstroemiae Kuwana (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), and prediction of its potential distribution in United States

The crape myrtle bark scale, Eriococcus lagerstroemiae Kuwana (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), is an exotic pest of crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia spp. L. (Myrtales: Lythraceae) which is a widely planted landscape tree in southeastern United States. Despite the severity of the damage to crape myrtle, there is not information about the potential distribution of this scale across United States. Survival under extreme temperatures is critical for the establishment and spread of exotic insects in subtropical and temperate regions. Therefore, understanding the effect of temperatures on the survival of E. lagerstroemiae can help in predicting not only the areas suitable for establishment but also population fluctuations over time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal tolerance of E. lagerstroemiae by measuring the mortality at low and high temperatures of nymphs. Results showed that mortality increased with at both lower and higher temperatures, and longer exposure times. Outcomes of the thermal tolerance studies and the MaxEnt method were used separately to predict the potential distribution of E. lagerstroemiae.