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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380031
Research Project: Systematics of Hemiptera and Related Groups: Plant Pests, Predators and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Thelaxes suberi, an oak aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Thelaxinae) new to the Western hemisphere

Author
item MOORE, M. - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
item HALBERT, S.E. - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
item MCVAY, JOHN - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
item Miller, Gary

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2022
Publication Date: 4/18/2022
Citation: Moore, M., Halbert, S., Mcvay, J., Miller, G.L. 2022. Thelaxes suberi, an oak aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Thelaxinae) new to the Western hemisphere. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 123(4):808-819. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.4.808.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.4.808

Interpretive Summary: Aphids cause billions of dollars of damage to agricultural products (food crops and forests) annually. No only do aphids cause damage to their host plants through mechanical feeding, but many species also transmit plant viruses that can also cause severe damage and crop loss. Detection and identification of invasive/adventive aphid species is critical in the protection of U.S. agriculture. In this paper we report the first occurence in the Western hemisphere on an oak aphid, Thelaxes suberi. We provide a description of the species, illustrations, and key for its identification. This paper will be great value to federal and state regulatory agencies, forestry ecologists, arborists, horticulturalists, and homeowners.

Technical Abstract: Thelaxes suberi (del Guercio) was found for the first time in North America. The first collection was on a single potted oak tree in rural Marion County, Florida. Morphological and molecular techniques were used to determine the identity of this adventive species. The find was reported first only as a quarantinable pest, because the prior whereabouts of the potted plant were not known. However, suction trap collections in Polk County in 2020 indicated that the species is established in Florida. It is not known if this species will become numerous on oaks in North America.