Hodges, G.S., & Hodges, G. 2008 Icerya genistae Hempel (Hemiptera: Margarodidae): an emerging pest in south Florida.. Proceedings of the XI International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies, Oeiras, Portugal, 24-27 September 2007. ISA Press Lisbon, Portugal 322 pp.

Notes: Icerya genistae Hempel was collected for the first time in the Continental United States on July 7, 2005 in FL. Lauderdale, Florida. The initial collection was made on a Sesbania species in the environs surrounding Port Everglades. This scale insect was previously only known from Brazil on Fragaria species and Lespedeza striata. Additional surveys in south Florida indicate that I. genistae is present in two Florida counties (Broward and Dade) and currently present on fifty different host species representing nineteen plant families. Populations have been restricted to common roadside plants and it currently has not been found in any agroeconomie growing areas. Icerya genistae has also been reported in Barbados where it is considered as a significant economic pest of vegetable crops and peanuts. Currently, personnel from the USDA and Florida Department of Agriculture arc working with collaborators in Brazil to find natural enemies for this newly introduced scale insect into Florida and Barbados.