Ecology and management of the crapemyrtle aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on crapemyrtle (Myrtales: Lythraceae) in the southern United States

Abstract

Crapemyrtle aphid [Sarucallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy 1907)] (CMA) is an introduced pest of crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp. L.), which is among the most common ornamental tree genera in the southern United States. Native to Southeast Asia, CMA has become established on 5 other continents. CMAs produce honeydew as they feed which supports sooty mold growth and can result in leaf defoliation on infested trees. CMAs tend to be most abundant in crapemyrtles planted in locations with extensive surrounding impervious surface cover. A large community of generalist natural enemies are found in close association with CMA, which suggests that CMAs may help conserve natural enemy communities in urban areas. Due to the long-lasting blooms produced by crapemyrtle, and the attractiveness of these blooms to pollinators, insecticides should be used as a last resort to manage CMA infestations. While CMA is considered a specialist pest of crapemyrtle, it has been recorded on 3 species outside of the genus Lagerstroemia. The wide distribution of CMA, closely overlapping that of crapemyrtle, suggests that CMA can likely be found wherever crapemyrtles are commonly planted.