Sucking Insects Flashcards
What are the characteristics of sucking insects?
- Piercing-sucking mouthparts: food canal, salivary canal
- Hemimetabolous, but often complex
What 4 things do sucking insects feeding on plants cause?
- Wilting and drying
- Growth loss
- Dieback
- Death
What 3 sucking insects are vectors for disease?
- Aphids
- Psyllids
- Plant hoppers
What fluid do sucking insects emit?
Honeydew
Name 2 exotic invasive sucking insects.
- Hemlock woolly adelgid
2. Balsam woolly adelgid
What is the Hemlock woolly adelgid’s native range?
Asia
What are the hosts for the Hemlock woolly adelgid?
- Eastern Hemlock
- Carolina Hemlock
What is the Hemlock woolly adelgid’s lifecycle like?
Complex
Where in the US are Hemlock woolly adelgids located?
- 16 states from Maine to Georgia
- Most severe in: VA, NJ, PA, CT
Describe the damage caused by the Hemlock woolly adelgid.
- Nymphs feed on the twigs at the base of the needles, then the twig tissue.
- Feed on the stored starches that are critical for tree growth.
What are the management strategies used for the Hemlock woolly adelgid?
- Cultural
- Regulatory - State quarantines
- Chemical - Insecticides
- Biological - Natural enemies
What is the current research being done on the Hemlock woolly adelgid?
Biocontrol
When was the Balsam woolly adelgid introduced in the US?
1900
What is the native range for the Balsam woolly adlegid?
Central Europe
What are the hosts of the Balsam woolly adelgid?
- Spruce-Fir trees
- Frasier Fir
- Christmas trees
What are the signs/symptoms for the Balsam woolly adelgid?
- April to October
- White spots on bark
- Trees with flat top, dead shoots/branches, etc.
What is the importance of the Balsam woolly adelgid?
- Great Smoky Mountains have 75% spruce-fir ecosystem
- Christmas trees
Name 2 native sucking insects.
- Aphids
2. Scale Insects
What are the hosts for aphids and how much damage do they cause?
- Ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers
- Typically minor, some major
What kind of damage do aphids cause?
Feed into the plant phloem, suck out sap, inject saliva that causes some plants to develop curled, hardened or distorted growth.
What type of management is used for aphids?
- Biocontrol: Natural enemies
- Insecticides
What are 3 characteristics of scale insects?
- Major pests on ornamentals
- Waxy or shell-like covering
- Adult females non-moving / sessile
What are hosts for scale insects?
Ornamental trees and shrubs
What type of damage do scale insects cause?
Suck out the sap of tree / shrub
What type of management is used for scale insects?
- Hand picking
- Horticultural oils
Name 2 sucking insects.
- Cicadas
2. Leafhoppers
