Russell F Mizell

University of Florida | UF · North Florida Research & Education Center

The glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a generalist xylem feeder insect species and an agricultural pest. In agroecosystems, adults disperse between habitats, foraging on crop and non-crop hosts, oftentimes vectoring a harmful plant pathogen, Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al. (Xanthomonadales: X...

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa (Say) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), is a major pest of stone fruits including the peach Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. The entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, was previously shown to be an effective tool for controlling S. exitiosa. In orchards where irrigation is not available, a sprayable gel (Bar...

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are ubiquitous, cryptic, phytophagous pests that are found in many crops. In agroecosystems, individuals disperse from adjacent noncrop hosts and tend to aggregate or cluster within fields. In this study, we characterized the distribution of Euschistus servus (Say) and Euschistus tristigmus (Say) (Hemiptera: Pen...

The pupal soil cell of the pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was reported previously to exhibit antibiosis to an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana. The objectives of this study were to examine 1) if the antimicrobial effect occurs in other insects that form pupal cells, 2) whether the effect extends to plant patho...

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the pecan aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) complex: black pecan aphid, Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis), blackmargined aphid, Monellia caryella (Fitch), and yellow pecan aphid, Monelliopsis pecanis Bissell are major pests of pecan production. Management is primarily based on che...

Plantings of perennial grasses have been shown to be an effective means to enhance soil qualities for organic production. Similarly, tillage methods can significantly impact production in organic crop production systems. We have previously examined direct effects of these practices on crop yields, profitability, and soil quality for rotations of or...

In the southeastern USA, the most widespread and damaging disease of pecan is scab, caused by Venturia effusa. Although scab can be controlled using conventional chemical methods, organic pecans that attract a premium price mandate the use of organic fungicides. Also, organic production is an environmentally sustainable method. However, where susce...

Pecan scab (Venturia effusa) is the most important yield-limiting disease of pecan (Carya illinoinensis) in the southeastern USA. On susceptible cultivars, which are widely grown, conventional fungicides are applied intensively to minimize losses to the disease. Producers of organic pecan must either select resistant cultivars at planting or find a...

Stink bugs (Pentatomidae) and leaffooted bugs (Coreidae) are important direct pests of many seed, fruit, vegetable and nut crops. Recently they have become serious pests of cotton because of the reduction in pesticide use resulting from the eradication of the boll weevil and the implementation of genetically-modified cotton. This document is ENY-71...

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a key pest of pecans Carya illinoinensis ([Wangenh.] K. Koch) (Fagales: Juglandaceae). Control recommendations rely on broad spectrum chemical insecticides. Due to regulatory and environmental concerns, effective alternatives for C. caryae control must be sought for pecan prod...

Apparently because of mulch buildup and abstinence from pesticide use, an organically managed citrus grove in Vero Beach, Florida, can support large populations of long-legged flies (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) that impose predation pressure on inundative releases of Tamarixia radiata (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) T. radiata parasitoid wasps t...

Cicadellinae leafhoppers and other Auchenorrhyncha in coffee and citrus farms in Puerto Rico were surveyed five times over 18 mo. We frequently collected four of the seven species of Cicadellinae previously found in Puerto Rico, yet only one species (Caribovia coffeacola Dozier) fed directly on coffee; no species was observed to feed directly on ci...

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa (Say 1823), is a major pest of stone fruit trees in North America. Current management relies upon preventative control using broad-spectrum chemical insecticides, primarily chlorpyrifos, applied in the late summer or early fall. However, due to missed applications, poor application timing, or other factors,...

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa (Say 1823), is a major pest of stone fruit trees in North America. Current management relies upon preventative control using broad-spectrum chemical insecticides, primarily chlorpyrifos, applied in the late summer or early fall. However, due to missed applications, poor application timing, or other factors,...

Crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia species (Myrtales: Lythraceae), has become a dominant flowering plant in the ecosystems of the southeastern USA. Examination of flower records for bees shows few records of pollinators visiting these species even though they produce dimorphic pollen. Sampling of bees from a multi-cultivar crape myrtle planting at the Uni...

The efficacy of aboveground applications of entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp.) can be severely limited by the nematode's susceptibility to UV radiation and desiccation. The lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes, is a major pest of stone fruit; larvae attack trees aboveground by tunneling into the trunk and...

Leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) that feed on xylem fluid transmit numerous diseases incited by Xylella fastidiosa including Pierce's disease of grapevine, plum leaf scald, phony peach disease, citrus variegated chlorosis, and scorch diseases of many plant species. The most important leafhopper vector of X. fastidiosa in the southeastern Unite...

Euschistus servus (Say), Nezara viridula (L.), and Chinavia hilaris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are economic pests of cotton in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. The objective of this 2-yr study was to determine the ability of trap cropping systems, pheromone-baited stink bug traps, and a synthetic physical barrier at the pea...

Broad-headed bugs belong to a well-known but relatively small family of plant-feeding true bugs, usually seen feeding on the foliage and flowers of leguminous and graminaceous crops. Leptocorisa acuta (Thunberg) can be found on many crop plants in the family Poaceae (grasses), especially rice, and is a reported pest of economic significance in rice...

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa, is a major pest of stone fruit trees in North America. In prior studies, the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, caused substantial reductions in S. exitiosa damage when applied by watering can to peach trees that were irrigated regularly. Here we report two additional studies that assessed...

Soil-dwelling insects have developed various mechanisms to defend against pathogen infection. The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae, spends two to three years in the soil inside an earthen cell. We hypothesized that the cell may possess antimicrobial properties. In a laboratory study, we tested the hypothesis using the fungus Beauveria bassiana as a mo...

The peachtree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa) and lesser peachtree borer (Synanthedon pictipes) are major pests of stone fruits such as peaches, plums and cherries. Applications of entomopathogenic nematodes have been reported to cause high levels of mortality in these pests. Specifically, in prior research we demonstrated that fall applications of St...

A species of Hirsutella, the primary pathogen of glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) in the southeastern US, has been the major focus of our research this past year. Due to the fastidious growth requirements of this fungus and the presence of numerous saprobic fungi associated with mycosed GWSS, a major effort has been made to design a series of gene...

Bermudagrass is a dominant hay crop in Florida. Now, hay producers are facing a new emerging pest problem in bermudagrass and stargrass production fields. The bermudagrass stem maggot is a new exotic invasive fly. It was first discovered damaging bermudagrass pasture and hay fields in Georgia. The identification of the fly was the first record of t...

USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine (APHIS-PPQ) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspect traffic entering the United States for arthropods posing a threat to national agriculture or ecosystems. We analyzed interceptions made by these agencies in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands between October 2...

Subtropical peach production includes many practices, such as site selection, orchard design, and disease, weed, and insect management through to harvest. Florida’s subtropical climate allows growers to harvest their crops early, but it creates challenges for the long postharvest growing season. This 14-page fact sheet covers the breadth of topics...

Stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), including Nezara viridula (L.), Euschistus servus (Say), and Chinavia hilaris (Say), are economic pests in farmscapes where they move within and between closely associated crop and non-crop habitats. Thus, field edges in these farmscapes include not only crop-to-crop interfaces but also those edges adjoining...

McPhail-type traps baited with ammonium acetate and putrescine were used to monitor populations of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) and Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) in two orchards with hosts of these flies (mango, Mangifera indica L., and carambola, Averrhoa carambola L.), as well as in forest fragments bordering these orchards. Contour maps were const...

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), invasive to Florida and Georgia, is thought to be an important predator of nesting vertebrate species in some areas; yet little is known about how armadillos find these nests and how often depredations occur in areas with low nest densities. To quantify the armadillo's attraction to nests of two spe...

Ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees are economically important commodities in the US and around the globe. In this study we evaluated the potential of entomopathogenic nematodes to control two important ornamental pests: 1) Corythucha ciliata (Say) (Hemiptera: Tingidae), a native lace bug that attacks the foliage of sycamore trees, and 2) the rece...

The cottonwood leaf beetle is one of the most economically important pests of managed cottonwood, aspen, and some poplar and willow species. Often it is a severe pest of urban ornamental trees. This leaf feeder has several generations each year, may cause extensive leaf loss, and can consequently reduce stem volume up to 70%. This 6-page fact sheet...

Leptoglossus zonatus feeds on the satsuma mandarin by inserting its piercing-sucking mouthparts in the fruit and releasing a toxic substance. It transmits a trypanosomatid plant pathogen similar to the one that causes Chagas’ disease and sleeping sickness in humans, but that is only pathogenic to plants. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Amelio...

Organisms must find food and avoid enemies. Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) is a primary vector of Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease, a deadly disease of grapevines and other plants. H. vitripennis feeds on xylem tissue depauperate in nutrients and has evolved many specialized physiological and behavioral adaptations. Bottom...

Roses are one of the most popular flowering shrubs in Florida and the United States. Valued for their beautiful and often fragrant blooms, roses have been cultivated in gardens for centuries as vines. Roses can grow and flower 9 months of the year in North Florida and year-round in the rest of Florida. Roses have become especially popular in recent...

What is the tastiest treat to tempt an armadillo? Armadillos are one of the most significant nuisance pests in Florida and much of the Southeast. There are no repellents, toxicants, or fumigants registered for use with them. They are good at both burrowing beneath and climbing over fences. There are also no effective methods for baiting them into t...

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is considered by many to be one of the greatest nuisance wildlife species in the Southeastern United States. Management is difficult because no repellents, toxicants, or fumigants are currently registered for this species; exclusion is laborious because armadillos are adept burrowers; and no effectiv...

Insects in the order Hemiptera are considered the second most important group of plant pathogen vectors, after aphids as agriculture crop pests. Genomic approaches are providing new information on the genetic basis of biology, behavior, and refinement of their phylogenetic classification. Three leafhopper species, important as vectors of plant path...

Phenotypic plasticity may be critical for nutrient-limited organisms that allocate ingested nutrients to the competing demands of reproduction and survivorship. Leafhoppers that feed on xylem fluid allow assessment of plasticity in response to the constant selective pressure of nutritional inadequacy. We examined feeding behavior (host selection an...

The granulate ambrosia beetle is a minute ambrosia beetle of Asian origin that was first detected near Charleston, South Carolina. It can become abundant in urban, agricultural, and forested areas and has been reported as a pest of nursery stock and young trees in the Old World tropics and of peach trees in South Carolina. It is a potentially serio...

For the first time, transmission of Hirsutella from mycosed, sporulating H. vitripennis to healthy conspecifics was demonstrated. In addition, methods were established to amplify infectious material in vivo for potential inoculative release.

Forensics is a hot topic, with many movies and popular television shows (such as “CSI”) introducing youth to the tools, processes, and critical thinking skills needed to solve various crimes. Within this world, insects have a growing presence. The field of forensic entomology focuses on the information that insects provide investigators about the t...

The lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes (Grote & Robinson) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), is indigenous to eastern North America. It is a pest of commercially grown Prunus spp., especially to southeastern peach orchards where earlier regulatory changes affected pesticide use on peach leading to increased S. pictipes damage. Pest management pract...

Six types of sticky card traps differing in color and trapping adhesive were evaluated for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid in citrus in the United States (Florida and Texas). We coded the six traps as ASYellow, GLYellow, RWYellow, ASACP, ASGreen and MGGreen. The ASYellow, GLYellow and RWYellow traps were a bright yellow color to the human eye but t...

Safe and effective tactics are needed for control of the lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes (Grote & Robinson), which is a major pest of stone fruits (Prunus spp) in eastern North America. Virulence of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser), to S. pictipes has been demonstrated in the laboratory. However, achievin...

The predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis Banks (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is native to Florida. Some biology and ecology of this phytoseiid have been documented, but its potential as a biological control agent of phytophagous mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) has received less attention. The response of P. macropilis to 12 acaricides, 3 tetranychid mite sp...

Taylor’s power law (s2 = a x̄ b) was fitted to the means and variances of numbers of adult Diaprepes abbreviatus L. and Pachnaeus litus (Germar) caught monthly in modified Tedders traps (citrus Tedders traps). Data for D. abbreviatus were obtained in six Florida citrus groves, two located on the central ridge and the others in the central and south...

Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) was first detected in north Florida in 1993 feeding on crape myrtle aphids, Sarucallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy) on crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica L. This lady beetle spread rapidly and was instrumental in reducing populations of the yellow pecan aphid complex, Monellia caryella (Fitch) and Monelliopsis pecanis Bisse...

El nivel de depredación y parasitismo en contra de Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), fue medido independientemente usando diferentes diseños experimentales en lugares como el norte de Florida y la zona central de Georgia. Manipulación experimental en Monticello, FL, y en Byron, GA, demostró que el impacto de depredación n...

Huevecillos de Tetranychus urticae de uno, dos y tres dias de edad fueron tratados con dosis de radiación gamma entre 0 y 280 Gy. En general, el porcentaje de eclosión de los huevecillos tratados disminuyó proporcionalmente al aumento en la dosis de radiación en huevecillos de todas edades, sin embargo, los huevecillos de mayor edad requirieron may...

The trichogrammatid wasp, Paracentrobia americana (Girault), was reared from egg masses of the leafhopper Homalodisca insolita (Walker) maintained in culture at the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida. This discovery is a new host record for P. americana. Parasitized egg masses were found on Johnson...

The mymarid wasp, Gonatocerus fasciatus Girault, was reared from egg masses of the proconiine sharpshooter Paraulacizes irrorata (Fabricius) maintained in culture at the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida. This discovery is the first known host record of an egg parasitoid for P. irrorata and also fo...

Extensive searches for parasitic Hymenoptera of the crape myrtle aphid, Tinocallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy), on several continents have failed. A parasite-free condition is an unusual occurrence among the foliar-feeding Aphididae. Such an extensive search has been conducted for only a small percentage of aphid species of economic importance, thus...

Nosotros realizamos unos ensayos del laboratorio de nueve productos registrados para el uso sobre plantas ornamentales en Florida para su actividad ovicida y larvacida contra la polilla invasora de cactus Cactoblastis cactorum. Una mortalidad de cien por ciento (o 0% sobreviviencia) de huevos de 1 dia de edad fue obtenida en secciones de grupos de...

Estudios de trampeo utilizando tres diferentes tipos de trampas colocadas en áreas cultivadas y silvestres en el norte de Florida (Jefferson Co.) resultaron en la colecta de 97 diferentes especies de curculiónidos pertenecientes a la familia Curculionidae y a las familias primitivas de curculiónidos Anthribidae, Brentidae e Ithyceridae. Sesenta y u...

Los saltahojas que se alimentan del xilema han producido por evolución varias adapciones fisiológicas y de comportamiento para utilizar el liquido de xilema de diferentes composiciones, incluyendo polifagia y una alta eficiencia de asimilación. Ellos demuestran también, en una alta dispersión adjunta a una agudeza visual excelente. Nosotros investi...

In the southeast United States, a field of peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L., is often closely associated with a field of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. The objective of this 4-yr on-farm study was to examine and compare the spatiotemporal patterns and dispersal of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula L., and the brown stink bug, Euschistus serv...

Crapemyrtle aphids, Sarucallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy), are a common pest of crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) throughout the southeastern United States. Breeding programs have produced >100 crapemyrtle cultivars that vary in floral color, plant height, and disease resistance, but these programs did not evaluate insect resistance as part of the s...

Revised! ENY-806, a 4-page fact sheet by Russell F. Mizell, provides cultural and sanitary practices and guidance for timing, coverage, and rates, as well as a suggested control program for pecan insect management in Florida. Published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2009. ENY-806/IG077: Insect Management in Pecans (ufl.edu)

EENY-432, a 3-page illustrated fact sheet by Celina Gomez and Russell F. Mizell III, is part of the Featured Creatures collection. It describes this stink bug with broad geographical range in the Americas — distribution, description, life cycle and biology, hosts, and damage. Includes selected references. Published by the UF Department of Entomolog...

EENY-430, a 3-page illustrated fact sheet by Celina Gomez and Russell F. Mizell III, is part of the Featured Creatures collection. It describes this pest of bald cypress and pond cypress — its distribution, description, life cycle and biology, hosts, damage, and management. Includes selected references. Published by the UF Department of Entomology...

EENY-431, a 5-page illustrated fact sheet by Celina Gomez and Russell F. Mizell III, is part of the Featured Creatures collection. It describes this commonly encountered pest of seeds, grain, nuts, and fruit — its distribution, description, life cycle and biology, hosts, damage, and management. Includes selected references. Published by the UF Depa...

Generally, microbial control agents such as entomopathogenic nematodes are applied in a curative manner for achieving pest suppression; prophylactic applications are rare. In this study, we determined the ability of two Steinernema carpocapsae strains (All and Hybrid) to prophylactically protect peach trees from damage caused by the peachtree borer...

The feeding of Homalodisca vitripennis, also known as the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), on Citrus sinensis cv. Navel and Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay was monitored in relation to free and protein bound amino acids in xylem fluid. Mean consumption rate of GWSS confined to feeding assemblies was significantly higher on Chardonnay (2.0 cm(3)/d)...

Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) and related species have caused millions of dollars in damage to southern California vineyards in recent years through the vectoring of Pierce's disease. However, the effects of surrounding vegetation on the dispersal and distribution of H. vitripennis are poorly understood. Therefore, the relationship between dispe...

The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was estimated for Proprioseiopsis asetus Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on pollen and two prey species at 35°C. Cattail, Typha latifolia L., pollen and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) were equally favorable as food and superior to Tetranychus urticae Koch. More females were produced in a shorter time when P. as...

ENH-1108, a 7-page illustrated fact sheet by Gary W. Knox and Russell F. Mizell, III, provides basic information for homeowners on minimizing rose pests through selection and care, describes major pests of roses, as well as other diseases, insect, mites, arthropods, and animals that are pests of roses. Includes references. Published by the UF Depar...

The yellow rose aphid, Acythrosiphon porosum (Sanderson), is a cosmopolitan pest of roses and strawberries. Acythrosiphon porosum is one of only a few arthropod pests of roses occurring in northern Florida and southern Georgia. Hybrid roses are widely planted around the city of Thomasville, GA, which is known as the Rose City. Three 'Grandiflora' r...

We document the presence of Larra bicolor Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) in 46 of Florida’s 67 counties. The species is represented by two stocks. The first (released in 1981) originated in Pará, Brazil, but was obtained from Puerto Rico, and became established in Broward County in southern Florida. The second (released in 1988) originated in...

Plant susceptibility to insect attack under field conditions can differ from host suitability when tested in the laboratory under controlled conditions. In the laboratory, we tested seven crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) cultivars from two parentages, two height classes and four pedigrees for their suitability as hosts for the crapemyrtle aphid (S...

The glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a xylophagous leafhopper native to the southeastern United States and northern Mexico, with recent introductions into California, Arizona, French Polynesia, and Hawaii. It is a primary vector of the xylem-limited bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al...

EENY-437, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Celina Gomez and Russell F. Mizell III, is part of the Featured Creatures collection. It describes this plant-feeding mite found in landscapes that can invade homes in large numbers after heavy rains, excessive heat, or changes in the season. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Entomol...

Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), the glassy-winged sharpsnooter, is a primary vector of phony peach and plum leaf scald diseases caused by XyIeIIa fastidiosa Wells et al. A survey of H. vitripennis on peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] varieties established that leafhopper abundances varied from 0-13 per tree. Prunus persica cvs. Flordaking and Ju...

In prior research, we established that soil applications of Steinernema riobrave in peach orchards that target plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar, larvae can result in high levels of control (78-100%). In this study, we investigated the potential of using entomopathogenic nematodes to control C. nenuphar further by evaluating (1) field efficacy...

Proprioseiopsis asetus (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a relatively unknown predacious mite with potential as a biological control agent of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). In this study, the developmental rate and other biological parameters of P. asetus were inve...

Insect species exhibiting a weak linkage between adult preference and immature performance have frequently been shown to be prone to outbreaks. We used choice and no-choice tests to examine the preference-performance linkage of the xylem fluid-feeding leafhopper, Homalodisca vitripennis Germar. Leafhoppers were offered a choice of hosts common to t...