NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE AVOCADO LACE BUG, Pseudacysta perseae (HETEROPTERA: TINGIDAE) IN FLORIDA, USA

Past studies in Florida have demonstrated that the avocado lace bug, (ALB), Pseudacysta perseae (Heteroptera:Tingidae) has several natural enemies. Two egg parasitoids, Oligosita spp.(Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and a unidentified mymarid (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), the predators, green lace wing, Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and a predaceous mirid, possibly, Hyaliodes vitripennis (Heteroptera: Miridae). Both the green lace wing and the predaceous mirid, caused at least 30 % reduction of nymphs and eggs. During 1996-1998 the egg parasitoid Oligosita spp., was the most frequent during the first major peak of P. perseae. However, recent surveys conducted between 2005 and 2007 suggest that the mymarid, Erythmelus spp., might be more important than Oligosita spp. Besides these parasitoids, the current predators, Paracarniella cubana (Heteroptera: Miridae), Sthetoconus praefectus (Heteroptera: Miridae) and a new genus and undescribed species of Cecidomyiidae appear to be the major predators of this pest. In other countries where P. perseae has been found, i.e., Cuba, Dominican Republic, there has not been any reports of parasitoids of this lace bug. We report the population dynamics of the pest and its natural enemies and discuss the potential of each of them in Florida