HOST ACCEPTANCE TRIALS OF KERRIA LACCA (KERRIIDAE) PARASITOIDS FROM NORTHERN THAILAND ON THE PEST LOBATE LAC SCALE (PARATACHARDINA LOBATA) (KERRIIDAE)

Abstract In an attempt to find potential biological control agents of the lobate lac scale (Paratachardina lobata), an important pest in southern Florida and the Bahamas, we made collections of the commercial lac scale (Kerria lacca) in northern Thailand. Four species of parasitoids and two species of predaceous moths were reared from K. lacca infestations on twigs imported into Florida quarantine. None of the parasitoids accepted P. lobata as a host. Parasitoids of P. lobata from India or Sri Lanka, the native home of this scale, probably have more promise as potential biological control agents of this pest.