2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Determine the biologies, including host-specificity, of candidate biological control agents for invasive insect and weed pests to seek permission for release into Florida for control of the pests. Develop mass-rearing methods to facilitate colonization. Determine post-release understanding of colonization, spread and impact of the biological control agents on the target pests, the detection of potential non-target effects, if any, due to the releases. And the state of infested habitats during and after control. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Host-specificity tests and other prerelease biological studies will be conducted in quarantine laboratories at Gainesville or Ft. Lauderdale. Host-specificity testing will assess development of candidate agents on arrays of representative taxa to delineate host-specificity levels. Biological studies to define development times, mating behavior, methods of propagation and other biological aspects in quarantine laboratories. Various methods of rearing will be employed to establish large numbers of biological control agents for release. Post-release colonization and dispersal will be determined through mark and recapture methods and surveys. Impact will be determined by demographic studies of both the biological control agents and the target pests in a range of different habitats. In the case of weed projects, re-vegetation of infested or previously infested areas will be evaluated to determine outcomes of control. Potential non-target hosts of the biological control agents will be monitored in a range of habitats. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under the reimbursable agreement between ARS and the University of Florida. Additional details of research can be found in the report in the parent project 6629-22000-009-00D, Development & evaluation of biological control agents for invasive species threatening the Everglades & other natural and managed systems. 1. Natural enemies of the lobate lac scale from India continued to be imported into quarantine, and host acceptance research determined that the parasitoids failed to rear in the invasive lobate lac scale from Florida. 2. DNA analysis of the invasive lobate lac scales from Florida, the Bahamas, and Christmas Island, and the Indian lobate lac scale, showed that the invasive lobate lac scales from Florida, the Bahamas and Christmas Island are the same species, but these are different from the Indian lobate lac. The invasive lobate lac scales are a new species without a known native area. 3. Pathway analysis was used to determine the Asian sources of horticultural plants imported to Florida. Interviews with both professional and amateur importers of horticultural plants defined Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand and the most common sources. 4. Additional pathway analysis of the lobate lac scale was done on Christmas Island. Interviews with Chinese and Malay residents, who comprise more than 95% of the 2,000 residents on the island, determined that most people of both ethnic groups came from Malaysia (Malacca and Pennang in western Malaysia and to a lesser degree Kunching and Sabah in eastern Malaysia). Additional places of origin for the islanders included Java and Ambon in Indonesia. 5. Surveys in Java, and both eastern and western Malaysia located populations of a lobate lac scales which are either the same or closely related to the Florida lobate lac scale, and a different lac scale (Kerriidae). Parasitoid emergence holes were apparent in these scales and collections of each were sent to the Ft. Lauderdale Quarantine to emerge parasitoids for identification and preliminary host acceptance trails on the invasive lobate lac scale. 6. The number of plants attacked by the lobate lac scale in Florida continues to expand with more than 300 species of native and economic woody plants found to be developmental hosts of the pest. 7. Research continued to determine the impact of the invasive lobate lac scale on native plants and communities in southern Florida. Data indicate high impact of the lobate lac scale on some native species but not others: infestations and potential impacts on pineland species have declined while those in tropical hardwood forest and mangrove have remained variable and species dependent. The Cooperator’s performance was monitored to ensure progress in accordance with the objectives of the agreement. The ADODR discussed project plans and reviewed program goals and accomplishments with the Cooperator’s PI at regular intervals. In addition, e-mails or other types of written correspondence were used periodically to ensure financial controls were in place and to provide technical advice as needed.