Pest abundance and their possible management on different varieties of crape myrtle

Crape myrtles are dominant landscape trees in the southern United States. These plants are native to Asian and Australian counties. They were introduced to the United States about 200 years back. Plants are recognized for their plant vigor, beautiful long summer bloom, smooth bark and variety in their size and bloom color. Crape Myrtles are often infested by the different pests including Crape Myrtle aphids. In addition, the production of Crape Myrtle is under threat by the recent introduction of Crape Myrtle bark scale. In a recent study, pest population on different varieties of Crape Myrtle was evaluated in East Texas. Crape Myrtle bark scale and aphids were the main pest observed during the study period. Among the different varieties, Natchez variety was more susceptible to the pest populations than other varieties. Cultural and chemical treatments were showing some promise to manage these pests.