On the afternoon of Wednesday 5 March, FABIans welcomed a potentially crucial weapon in managing the macadamia pest, Acanthococcus ironsidei. Commonly known as Macadamia felted coccid, the pest is a sap-sucking insect that is affecting the Macadamia industry in South Africa, specifically in the Mpumalanga region. Due to its small size (≤ 1mm), it can go unnoticed in Macadamia orchards, while multiplying and building up in population size. Macadamia felted coccid is native to Australia, and therefore there are no specialist predators in South Africa that attack it. Under high population densities, it causes branch and tree die-back, and it can also reduce nut yield.

Metaphycus macadamiae was imported into South Africa from Hawaii. The Hawaiian Macadamia industry is also affected by Macadamia felted coccid, and research into classical biological control options started in 2013. Since then, host-specificity testing has been completed, and results showed that the parasitoid is safe for release in Hawaii. Considering the amount of work that has already been done by Hawaiian researchers, and their expertise in working with the parasitoid, it seemed fitting for South African researchers to collaborate with them.

A similar project, funded by Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC), was initiated in South Africa in 2022. Entomologist Anthony King from the ARC-PPRI, Roodeplaat, imported Metaphycus macadamiae into South Africa in July 2024 and he will conduct host-specificity testing on South Africa scale species. The Macadamia Protection Programme (MaPP) at FABI is currently researching biological parameters of Macadamia felted coccid as well as chemical and conservation biological control options. In addition, MaPP is supporting the research done by the ARC, by rearing a back-up culture of the parasitoid at the FABI Biocontrol Centre and Nursery under the care of Dr Rosali Moffat, Samantha Bush and Frederich Henneke.