Tea scale, Fiorinia theae Green (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), has long been one of the most important pests of Ilex and Camellia plants, particularly in the southeastern United States. This exotic armored scale insect reduces host plant health and function, and often requires insecticide use, which poses risks to nontarget organisms. While the use of Ilex (Aquifoliales: Aquifoliaceae) and Camellia (Ericales: Theaceae) spp. as landscape ornamentals for aesthetic function is firmly established, we have a poor understanding of species-level susceptibility to F. theae. Additionally, two species, Ilex vomitoria Ait. and Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze are emerging tisane- and tea-producing commodities in the region, respectively. We propose that these consumable plants may be well-suited alternatives to their traditionally used ornamental congeners in residential landscapes where they may provide enhanced ecosystem services. However, the potential impact of key pests, like F. theae, on these species should be evaluated to anticipate pest pressure that may undermine or offset benefits. In this study, we examine six species within the known host range of tea scale, comparing nonnative I. cornuta Lindl. 'Dwarf Burford,' C. japonica L., C. sasanqua Thunb., and C. sinensis, along with native I. opaca Ait. and I. vomitoria. We found that plant species show a wide range of susceptibility to F. theae and associated damage, with the two native Ilex species and tea-producing C. sinensis displaying the least susceptibility. By reducing the impact of a key pest and considering other ecosystem service traits, these results may help guide more sustainable plant selection decisions where the goal is to integrate native and edible plants into residential landscapes.

中文翻译：

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本地和食用观赏植物同系物通过住宅景观中的关键害虫避免和多功能性增强生态系统服务

茶鳞，Fiorinia theae Green（半翅目：Diaspididae），长期以来一直是冬青和山茶属植物最重要的害虫之一，尤其是在美国东南部。这种外来装甲介壳虫会降低寄主植物的健康和功能，并且通常需要使用杀虫剂，这对非目标生物构成风险。而使用冬青（Aquifoliales：Aquifoliaceae）和山茶（Ericales：Theaceae）spp。由于具有美学功能的景观观赏物已牢固确立，我们对 F. theae 的物种水平易感性了解甚少。此外，还有两个物种 Ilex vomitoria Ait。和 Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze 分别是该地区新兴的 tisane 和茶叶生产商品。我们建议这些消耗性植物可能是住宅景观中传统使用的观赏同源物的非常合适的替代品，它们可以提供增强的生态系统服务。但是，应评估主要害虫（如 F. theae）对这些物种的潜在影响，以预测可能破坏或抵消收益的害虫压力。在这项研究中，我们检查了茶鳞已知宿主范围内的六个物种，比较了非本地的 I.cornuta Lindl。'Dwarf Burford'、C. japonica L.、C. sasanqua Thunb. 和 C. sinensis，以及本地的 I. opaca Ait。和 I. 呕吐物。我们发现植物物种对 F. theae 和相关损害表现出广泛的易感性，其中两种本地冬青物种和产茶的 C. sinensis 表现出最低的易感性。