Biological Control
Icerya purchasi is important as one of the first major successes of biological control. Importations of the vedalia ladybeetle (Rodolia cardinalis) in 1888-1889 by C. V. Riley, later head of the USDA's Division of Entomology, resulted in swift reductions of I. purchasi populations, saving the burgeoning Californian citrus industry from this destructive pest.
A second biological control, the parasitic fly Cryptochaetum iceryae has also been introduced to California as an additional control vector. Use of insecticides as a control is recommended only if no biological control species is present. Imidacloprid is especially not recommended, although it affects other scale insects, because it has no effect on this species but is very toxic to the vedalia ladybug.
Read more about this topic: Icerya Purchasi
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