Cotton Seed Bug Identified in Florida
April 29, 2010 The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced this week that the cotton seed bug, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Costa), has been identified on cotton in a residential area of Monroe County in the Florida Keys. The insect was found by an inspector from the United States Department of Agriculture.
“The cotton seed bug is a serious pest of cotton and we are hopeful it is contained on an island in the Keys far away from the cotton production area,” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said in a public statement. “Our inspection teams are currently in the field conducting a delimiting survey that will tell us if this pest has spread.”
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the cotton seed bug attacks cotton and other plants in the cotton family including hibiscus and okra. It can also feed on other fruits and seeds of unrelated plants causing significant damage. The 4 to 5 mm (1/4 inch) insect feeds on cottonseed making the seeds less likely to sprout and reduces oil quality. They can also cause staining of the cotton lint during the ginning process.
The insect is native to Africa, but has become established worldwide, including in the Caribbean Basin and Puerto Rico. The cotton seed bug has been intercepted on shipments into Florida in the past, but this is the first time the pest has been found in the Florida environment.
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