Tectococcus ovatus (Eriococcidae)

"Brazilian scale" is a potential biocontrol agent for strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum).  "Brazilian scale" is a potential biocontrol agent for strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum).  Tectococcus ovatus is not known to occur in Hawaii (as of 08 October 2005). 

Featured items

Controversy flares over proposal to control waiawi [strawberry guava] with scale insect 
"The proposed release of a scale insect to control strawberry guava, or waiawi (Psidium cattleianum), has sparked an outcry of opposition among some sectors of the public. Yet, although the opposition means a delay in the scheduled release, the scientists most closely involved with the project say they welcome the development as an opportunity to educate the public about what they do and the ways in which their plan can work to the state's benefit."

Native Hawaiian forests vs. strawberry guava (video)   
This video explains why strawberry guava (waiawi) is such a threat to native Hawaiian forests, and why Tectococcus ovatus is part of a solution to this problem.

Fact and fiction about waiawi [strawberry guava] control 
"Opponents of the planned introduction of a biocontrol agent for strawberry guava have raised several arguments. Here are the top concerns, along with the responses from scientists with the Forest Service, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and others...."

Taxonomy & nomenclature

Biocontrol (potential for use as)

Bugs could slow strawberry guava
"Bugs could slow strawberry guava" discusses the possibility of releasing a biocontrol agent (Tectococcus ovatus) in Hawaii to slow the spread of the invasive strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum). Strawberry guava trees threaten the existence of many native ecosystems in Hawaii.

Biological control of strawberry guava in Hawaii   
Information about strawberry guava, the threat it poses to native forests, and the proposal to manage the invasive tree using biological control are presented by the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.

Host specificity of Tectococcus ovatus (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), a potential biological control agent of the invasive strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum (Myrtales: Myrtaceae), in Florida
"In total, 57 plant species representing 21 families were included in the host range tests.... The results of the host specificity tests suggest that [Tectococcus] ovatus is a suitable candidate for classical biological control of strawberry guava in Florida."

Native Hawaiian forests vs. strawberry guava (video)   
This video explains why strawberry guava (waiawi) is such a threat to native Hawaiian forests, and why Tectococcus ovatus is part of a solution to this problem.

The Environmental Notice, State of Hawaii, 4/23/2008 
Notices of proposals to release biocontrol agents for invasive pests appear in Hawaii's Office of Environmental Quality Control bulletin pursuant to Section 343-3 Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Strawberry guava biocontrol possible
The proposal to release a scale insect as a biocontrol for strawberry guava in Hawaii is discussed in the Raising Islands blog by Jan TenBruggencate (7/12/2008).

Proceedings of workshop on biological control of native ecosystems in Hawaii (2000) 
Potential and existing biocontrols of invasive pests in Hawaii, the review and permitting process, and synthesis are presented (Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Botany Department).

Insect released proposed to control exotic strawberry guava 
"U.S. Forest Service scientists with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry have submitted a proposal to release a Brazilian insect to control the spread of strawberry guava, a South American tree that has invaded and degraded native Hawaiian ecosystems since it was introduced in 1825 as a garden plant."

Biocontrol: Protection on a large scale, for the long run
An overview of biocontrol, multimedia gallery, and proposed strawberry guava biocontrol plan are presented by the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.

Petition for field release of Tectococcus ovatus (Homoptera: Eriococcidae) for classical biological control of strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum Sabine (Myrtaceae), in Hawaii (10 May 2005) 
"Tectococcus ovatus is proposed for release into the environment for biological control of P[sidium] cattleianum in the state of Hawaii. This highly specific insect produces leaf galls on P. cattleianum in its native range in Brazil. It is expected to reduce growth and reproduction of P. cattleianum, thereby limiting spread of the weed and production of fruits available to pest fruit flies...."

Biocontrol precision is weapon against invaders 
Strawberry guava and biocontrol issues are reviewed in this second of a two part series from the Kiai Moku column of the Maui News (Lloyd Loope, 10/12/2008).

Current researches of Brazilian weeds in Paraná State - Biological control of weeds program, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil 
A review of the biological control program at Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, is presented.

Legislation/regulation

Videos

Images

In the news

OHA to support waiawi control
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is set to endorse a plan to release alien insects on the Big Island to control strawberry guava, as it acknowledges that some Native Hawaiians are opposed to doing so (West Hawaii Today, 10/16/2008).

Biocontrol precision is weapon against invaders 
Strawberry guava and biocontrol issues are reviewed in this second of a two part series from the Kiai Moku column of the Maui News (Lloyd Loope, 10/12/2008).

Strawberry guava biocontrol possible
The proposal to release a scale insect as a biocontrol for strawberry guava in Hawaii is discussed in the Raising Islands blog by Jan TenBruggencate (7/12/2008).

Controversy flares over proposal to control waiawi [strawberry guava] with scale insect 
"The proposed release of a scale insect to control strawberry guava, or waiawi (Psidium cattleianum), has sparked an outcry of opposition among some sectors of the public. Yet, although the opposition means a delay in the scheduled release, the scientists most closely involved with the project say they welcome the development as an opportunity to educate the public about what they do and the ways in which their plan can work to the state's benefit."

Fact and fiction about waiawi [strawberry guava] control 
"Opponents of the planned introduction of a biocontrol agent for strawberry guava have raised several arguments. Here are the top concerns, along with the responses from scientists with the Forest Service, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and others...."

Insect release proposed to control exotic strawberry guava 
"U.S. Forest Service scientists with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry have submitted a proposal to release a Brazilian insect to control the spread of strawberry guava, a South American tree that has invaded and degraded native Hawaiían ecosystems since it was introduced in 1825 as a garden plant."

Bugs could slow strawberry guava
"Bugs could slow strawberry guava" discusses the possibility of releasing a biocontrol agent (Tectococcus ovatus) in Hawaii to slow the spread of the invasive strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum). Strawberry guava trees threaten the existence of many native ecosystems in Hawaii.

Full-text articles

Forest pest biological control program in Hawaii
Smith, Clifford W. 2002. Forest pest biological control program in Hawaii. pp. 91-98 in Smith, Clifford W., Julie Denslow, and Stephen Hight (eds). 2002. Proceedings of workshop on biological control of native ecosystems in Hawaii. Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Botany) Technical Report 129. 122 pages. from http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/techr/129.pdf accessed 16 March 2008.

Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum): prospects for biological control
Smith, Clifford W. and Charles Wikler. 2002. Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum): prospects for biological control. pp. 108-116 in Smith, Clifford W., Julie Denslow, and Stephen Hight (eds). 2002. Proceedings of workshop on biological control of native ecosystems in Hawaii. Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Botany) Technical Report 129. 122 pages. from http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/techr/129.pdf accessed 16 March 2008.

Current researches of Brazilian weeds in Paraná State - Biological control of weeds program, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil 
A review of the biological control program at Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, is presented.

Some documents posted on the HEAR website are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If your computer is not already set up to read these files, you can download the FREE Adobe Acrobat reader. You can set up most web browsers to automatically invoke this reader (as a "helper application" or "add-in") upon encountering documents of this type (refer to your browser's documentation for how to do this).

The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH-Hilo). More details are available online.

The content of this page is based on information last generated on 24 October 2009 by PT. The template for this page was created on 15 March 2004 by EMS, and was last updated on 20 February 2006 by PT.