Camellia Mining Scale, Duplaspidiotus Claviger (Cockerell)

Camellia mining scale, Duplaspidiotus claviger (Cockerell) (fig. 1 ), an armored scale, was described from specimens infesting twigs of Camellia sp. Collected in the botanic gardens, Durban, Natal, South Africa in 1901. The first collection of this plant parasite in continental United States was from Camellia sasanqua Thunb. At St. Petersburg, Florida in January 1962, by C. B. wright. A survey disclosed the scale’s distribution to be extensive in Pinellas county and localized in Hillsborough county. Infestations were found on private and public properties, in 19 commercial nurseries, and on 38 species of host plants by December 28, 1962. This indicated the scale was not a recent introduction. In January 1963, the eradication project for camellia mining scale was reevaluated by the division. Emphasis was placed on eradication from infested commercial nurseries by fumigation and on area containment within the infested counties. Plant specialists initially surveyed plants suspected of being infested by scraping stems lightly with a fingernail while looking for white spots (fig. 2). The white spots, remnants of the ventral protective cover which remains on the stems, are not a specific diagnostic characteristic for camellia mining scale. Other armored scales also leave a characteristic white spot when scraped from the stem of camellias. Other scales mistaken for camellia mining scale include peony scale, Pseudaonidia paeoniae (Cockerell) (fig. 3); tesserate scale, Duplaspidiotus tesseratus (Grandpre & Charmoy) (fig. 4}; mining scale, Howardia biclavis (Comstock)(fig. 5); and occasionally camphor scale, Pseudaonidia duplex (Cockerell)(fig. 6).