Potential risk of accidental introduction of Asian gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) to Australasia: effects of climatic conditions and suitability of native plants

1 The potential risk of the establishment of the Asian strain of the gypsy moth (AGM) (Lymantria dispar) in New Zealand and Australia (Australasia) was assessed from a study of the insect's host range and potential distribution. In New Zealand, viable eggs of AGM have been continuously intercepted on cargo from Asia, and therefore there is a high probability of accidental introductions of AGM to Australasia. 2 We predicted potential distribution ranges of AGM based on climatic conditions. Asian gypsy moth is predicted to be able to persist in N and SE New Zealand and SE and SW Australia. 3 Using three populations of AGM and 59 species (seven families) of plant (55 from Australasia and four from elsewhere), we also conducted laboratory trials to examine the ability of AGM larvae to complete development on native plants from Australasia. Asian gypsy moth was able to complete development on 26 out of the 55 native species tested. Furthermore, larval performance on at least five species of Australian native plant was as good as on AGM's preferred host species (Quercus pubescens and Q. robur). 4 Larval performance of AGM was poor on all but one species of New Zealand native tree species (Nothofagus solandri), and therefore the risk of establishment in the indigenous forests of New Zealand is considered to be low. 5 Given the suitability of some Australian plants and the climatic suitability for the establishment of AGM, this insect should be treated as a serious quarantine threat and managed accordingly, particularly in Australia.     

Plant‐mediated effects of host plant density on a specialist herbivore of Solanum carolinense

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The potential global distribution of the Bronze bug Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero and Dellapé (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae)

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Host range testing for risk assessment of a sexually dimorphic polyphagous invader,painted apple moth

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The life history of Philanisus plebeius Walker (Trichoptera: Chathamiidae), a caddisfly whose eggs were found in a starfish

Abstract.

• 1 Philanisus plebeius had a univoltine life cycle with adults present from November to April in the South Island of New Zealand. Males predominated in light trap collections in all months and the mean size of adult insects declined over the flight period.
• 2 There are probably seven larval instars which inhabited the marine intertidal zone and fed primarily on non-calcareous algae. Pupae were found only on the red alga, Corallina officinalis.
• 3 Caddisfly eggs were found during most of the year in the coelom of an intertidal starfish, Patiriella regularis. Oviposition is probably through the popular pores and newly hatched larvae may leave the host via the same route or through the stomach wall.
• 4 Egg development time was greater than 30 days at 16–18°C.
• 5 P.plebeius probably colonized New Zealand from Australia after the unusual oviposition behaviour had evolved in association with the Australian cushion star, Patiriella exigua. P.regularis is less abundant and occurs lower on the shore than P.exigua and may be inaccessible to some caddisflies which oviposit amongst intertidal algae.

     

Specialist pollinating seed predator exhibits oviposition strategy consistent with optimal oviposition theory

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Host specificity of the ragwort flea beetle Longitarsus jacobaeae (Waterhouse) (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

The ragwort flea beetle, Longitarsus jacobaeae, was tested for host specificity against representative species of native New Zealand Senecio. Adult feeding and oviposition tests were carried out under quarantine with and without a choice of host plants. Larval development was assessed using potted plants. It was concluded that L. jacobaeae is highly specific to Senecio jacobaea and that it is extremely unlikely to be damaging to native New Zealand Senecio species.     

Temptations of weevil: feeding and ovipositional behaviour of Hylobius warreni Wood on host and nonhost bark in laboratory bioassays

• 1 Warren root collar weevil Hylobius warreni Wood (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a long‐lived, flightless insect native to coniferous forests across northern North America. Girdling by larval feeding causes significant mortality on young trees. The insect poses considerable challenges to reforestation.
• 2 Adult weevils feed on all life stages of a variety of coniferous hosts prior to oviposition. Their relative feeding preferences, however, have not been quantified. Moreover, it is not known whether host bark influences oviposition behaviour.
• 3 Feeding preferences of adult weevils were tested in both choice and no‐choice laboratory bioassays using small branches from three conifers (lodgepole pine Pinus contorta var. latifolia, interior hybrid spruce Picea glauca×engelmannii, and Douglas‐fir Pseudotsuga menziesii) and one deciduous tree (trembling aspen Populus tremuloides). Measurements included the surface area of bark consumed, rate of consumption, the number of days of feeding, and, in the no‐choice assay, the number of eggs oviposited.
• 4 Bark consumption was greatest on pine and Douglas‐fir, followed by spruce. Little to no feeding occurred on aspen. Consumption did not vary between male versus female insects for any of the feeding metrics quantified.
• 5 The presence of aspen branches did not inhibit feeding on any of the other species in the choice bioassays.
• 6 The number of eggs laid by female insects did not differ significantly among tree species in the no‐choice assay. Eggs were laid indiscriminately in the presence of all four host types.
• 7 Results and opportunities for future research are discussed in the context of formulating new integrated pest management strategies for this insect, which is increasingly important in the period of reforestation subsequent to the mountain pine beetle epidemic in western Canada.

     

Should the flower bud weevil Anthonomus santacruzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) be considered for release against the invasive tree Solanum mauritianum (Solanaceae) in New Zealand?

The invasive tree Solanum mauritianum Scop. has been targeted for biological control in South Africa and New Zealand, by deploying insect agents that could constrain its excessive reproductive output. The flower-feeding weevil Anthonomus santacruzi (Curculionidae) was approved for release in South Africa in 2007 but following the loss of the original culture in quarantine, new stocks were introduced from Argentina in 2008–2009. This study was initiated to confirm that the host range of the new culture was the same as that of the previous one, but also to assess the risks associated with the weevil's release in New Zealand. Different testing procedures, including no-choice tests and multi-choice tests in different arenas, produced inconsistent and ambiguous results. During no-choice tests, oviposition and larval development to adulthood occurred on three non-target species including two native South African and one native New Zealand Solanum species. However, subsequent multi-choice tests and a risk assessment suggested that the risks of anything more than collateral damage to non-target Solanum species are low. Overall, these data do not deviate substantially from the results of the original quarantine tests which facilitated the release of A. santacruzi in South Africa in 2009. Although we argue that none of the New Zealand native and cultivated species are at risk, stronger evidence from open-field trials and chemical ecology studies may be required to convince the regulatory authorities that A. santacruzi is suitable for release in New Zealand.     

Colonization of eucalypts in New Zealand by Australian insects

Since the 1860s, Australian insects have steadily colonized eucalypts in New Zealand. The rate of colonization has increased markedly over the last two decades. This increase may be related to increasing trade between the two countries. Currently there are 26 specialist eucalypt insect species and approximately 31 polyphagous insect species that can feed on Eucalyptus in New Zealand. The specialist eucalypt insects endemic to Australia have generally caused more damage than polyphagous or native insects. Eucalypt‐specific insects are dominated by sap sucking bugs, particularly psyllids, and defoliating Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. In some cases the major insect pest species have been those that are only occasional pests in Australia, for example Gonipterus scutellatus, Ctenarytaina eucalypti, Eriococcus coriaceus and Phylacteophaga froggatti. Some important insect pests have been rare, or even not described from Australia, prior to their appearance as a pest in New Zealand, for example Paropsis charybdis and Ophelimus eucalypti. Invading eucalypt insects are more likely to establish in the Auckland region than anywhere else in New Zealand.     

Development of Clitoria ternatea as a biopesticide for cotton pest management: assessment of product effect on Helicoverpa spp. and their natural enemies

The Australian cotton industry is now dominated by transgenic (Bt) varieties, which provide a strong platform for integrated pest management (IPM) of Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). New IPM‐compatible tools are required to manage the development of resistance in Helicoverpa spp. and the control of other sucking pests. A 10‐year study commenced in 2001 to identify short‐range, non‐volatile compounds on organ surfaces of plants that deter feeding or oviposition, or are toxic and do not support development of Helicoverpa spp. on cotton plants. The results of the initial study identified Clitoria ternateaL. (Fabaceae) as non‐preferred for Helicoverpa spp. oviposition and larval feeding. The study found that C. ternatea fractionalized extract mixture (fractions 2, 3, 4, and 6) caused oviposition and feeding deterrence as well as direct toxicity to Helicoverpa spp. This study has developed an oil‐based semiochemical product from C. ternatea identified in the initial study into a potential commercial product. The application of 1–2% (vol/vol) of the oil‐based formulation of the C. ternatea mixture against Helicoverpa spp. on commercial transgenic and conventional cotton crops resulted in Helicoverpa spp. oviposition and larval feeding deterrence, as well as caused direct mortality to larvae. No negative effect on beneficial insects was observed. In conclusion, the ability of the oil‐based C. ternatea mixture to control Helicoverpa spp. infestations, while conserving beneficial insect populations, suggests its potential for use in supplementing IPM programs to reduce the use of synthetic insecticides on transgenic and conventional cotton crops.     

Oviposition preference of Lycaena salustiusfor,and larval performance on,a novel host plant: an example of ecological fitting

1. ‘Ecological fitting’ is the process whereby the suites of traits an organism carries from previous evolutionary relationships are used to enable colonisation of novel environments or resources. 2. The concept has much explanatory power in studies of novel host associations, particularly when data suggest a deviation from optimal foraging theory, but is often overlooked in studies of herbivore host selection behaviour in favour of evolutionary hypotheses. 3. In the present study, the concept was used to explain the unusual host selection behaviour of the New Zealand endemic oligophagous butterfly Lycaena salustius Fabricius, the larvae of which feed on endemic Polygonaceae species and the introduced and closely related Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. 4. In field cage oviposition choice assays involving only endemic plants, females preferred to oviposit on the rare Muehlenbeckia astonii Petrie. However, the novel host F. esculentum was overwhelmingly preferred in an additional greenhouse assay. In larval no‐choice performance assays, fitness indicators were variable for the novel host. 5. This imperfect relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance is discussed as a possible example of ecological fitting and highlights the potential use of the concept as an explanatory tool in novel host selection behaviour studies.     

Oviposition habitat selection by container‐dwelling mosquitoes: responses to cues of larval and detritus abundances in the field

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Population structure of the pecan nut casebearer Acrobasis nuxvorella throughout its geographical distribution

• 1 The pecan nut casebearer Acrobasis nuxvorella Neunzig (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an important, monophagous pest of pecan Carya illinoinensis (Fagales: Juglandaceae).
• 2 This pest is native from Louisiana west to the eastern edge of New Mexico and north to Illinois in the U.S.A. and as far west as Chihuahua and south to Oaxaca in Mexico.
• 3 Recently, this pest has expanded beyond the native range of pecan into regions where pecan has been introduced for cultivation.
• 4 Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were used to determine the population genetic structure of this insect pest across its current geographical distribution.
• 5 Population genetic analyses indicate a great degree of genetic structure in the pecan nut casebearer across its geographical distribution, with genetically distinct populations occurring in those areas where the pecan nut casebearer is not native but has been invasive.

     

Effects of artificial shade on attack by the mahogany shoot borer, Hypsipyla robusta (Moore)

Abstract

• 1 Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae: Swietenioideae) provides one of the premier timbers of the world. The mahogany shoot borer Hypsipyla robusta Moore (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an economically important pest of S. macrophylla throughout Asia, Africa and the Pacific. No viable method of controlling this pest is known. Previous observations have suggested that the presence of overhead shade may reduce attack by H. robusta, but this has not been investigated experimentally. This research was therefore designed to assess the influence of light availability on shoot‐borer attack on S. macrophylla, by establishing seedlings under three different artificial shade regimes, then using these seedlings to test oviposition preference of adult moths, neonate larval survival and growth and development of shoot borer larvae.
• 2 Oviposition preference of shoot borer moths was tested on leaves from seedlings grown under artificial shade for 63 weeks. A significant difference in choice was recorded between treatments, with 27.4 ± 1.5 eggs laid under high shade and 87.1 ± 1.8 under low shade.
• 3 Neonate larval survival on early flushing leaflets of S. macrophylla did not differ significantly between shade treatments. Larval growth rate, estimated by measuring daily frass width, was significantly higher for those larvae fed on seedlings from the high and medium shade treatments (0.1 mm/day), than the low shade treatment (0.06 mm/day). In laboratory‐reared larvae, the total mass of frass produced was significantly higher in the high shade treatment (0.4 g) than under the low shade treatment (0.2 g).
• 4 Longer tunnel lengths were bored by larvae in plants grown under high shade (12.0 ± 2.4 cm) than under low shade (7.07 ± 1.9 cm). However, pupal mass under low shade was 48% higher than that under the high shade treatment, suggesting that plants grown under high shade were of lower nutritional quality for shoot borer larvae.
• 5 These results indicate that shading of mahogany seedlings may reduce the incidence of shoot borer attack, by influencing both oviposition and larval development. The establishment of mahogany under suitable shade regimes may therefore provide a basis for controlling shoot borer attack using silvicultural approaches.

     

Quarantine host range studies with Lophyrotoma zonalis, an Australian sawfly of interest for biological control of melaleuca, Melaleuca quinquenervia, in Florida, U.S.A.

The Australian melaleuca tree, Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae), has naturalized in southern Florida,U.S.A., and is now one of that regions most important weeds.Primarily a weed of wetlands, it also infests neighboring drierareas. Current efforts to restore the South Florida ecosystem arethreatened by the continuing range expansion of melaleuca andother weeds. In an effort to supplement the current chemical andcultural control methods for melaleuca, a search for potentialbiological control agents was begun in Australia in 1986. Thesawfly, Lophyrotoma zonalis, was determined after extensive fieldand laboratory studies to have potential as a biological controlagent. Larvae of L. zonalis eat leaves and occasionally defoliatelarge trees in Australia. Host range studies were conducted in aFlorida quarantine facility with native and cultivated plantspecies. Multi-choice and no-choice oviposition tests wereconducted with 36 species in the Myrtaceae and with 18 species inother families. Larvae developed to prepupae and adults from theeggs oviposited on 23 species of Myrtaceae only on 3 species ofbottlebrushes, Callistemon. Medium-sized larvae were tested forfeeding on bouquets of plant cuttings and on potted plants. Theyare the stage that might wander from defoliated trees. Noticeablefeeding, but much less than on melaleuca, was restricted to theMyrtaceae, except for a few individual larvae that fed on waxmyrtle, Myrica cerifera. Medium-sized larvae became prepupae onlyon Melaleuca decora (73%) and on wax myrtle (10%). However,neither species received eggs in the oviposition tests. Thesestudies confirmed the narrow host range of L. zonalis aspreviously reported from field and laboratory studies inAustralia.     

Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) utilization and dispersal from the wild host Asian bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)

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Evaluation of the field impacts of simulated Bacillus thuringiensis‐transgenic Pinus radiata on nontarget native Lepidoptera and their natural enemies in a New Zealand plantation forest

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Oviposition preference and larval performance of the sweet potato butterfly Acraea acerata on Ipomoea species in Ethiopia

• 1 The sweet potato butterfly Acraea acerata is an indigenous species in Ethiopia that has become a major pest on the introduced sweet potato Ipomoea batatas. To assess the role of wild Ethiopian Ipomoea species as host plants, the presence of larvae on wild ipomoeas was studied, and female oviposition choice and larval performance were tested on five wild ipomoeas, as well as on sweet potato.
• 2 In laboratory tests, oviposition and larval development were successful on two wild ipomoeas (Ipomoea tenuirostris and Ipomoea cairica) but no oviposition occurred on the remaining three species. Of the latter, larvae did not feed on Ipomoea hochstetteri and Ipomoea indica, and survival rates were extremely low on Ipomoea purpurea.
• 3 Sweet potato was a better host plant than I. tenuirostris and I. cairica in terms of oviposition preference, larval survival and pupal size; pupae were larger, resulting in more fecund female butterflies.
• 4 In the wild butterfly populations were abundant on I. tenuirostris but absent on I. cairica. Females also tended to prefer I. tenuirostris to I. cairica in oviposition choice experiments. However, no significant differences in performance were found between larvae raised on I. tenuirostris and I. cairica in the laboratory.
• 5 Wild populations of A. acerata also existed on Ipomoea obscura, a plant not investigated in the present study.
• 6 The abundance of A. acerata on wild ipomoeas is too low to likely affect butterfly population densities on sweet potato. However, wild populations may act as reservoirs subsequent to butterfly population bottlenecks on sweet potato.

     

Can natural enemies of current insect pests provide biotic resistance to future pests?

1. Economic pests jeopardize agricultural production worldwide. Classical biological control, comprising the import of exotic natural enemies to control target pest populations, has a successful history in many countries. However, little is known about how these natural enemies contribute to the suppression of pests that are yet to arrive. Biotic resistance theory, though, posits that communities resist species invasions as a result of natural enemies.
2. We assessed the potential of the resident exotic parasitoid wasp fauna in New Zealand (intentionally‐introduced biological control agents and unintentionally‐introduced species) to provide biotic resistance against possible future pests. A dataset was generated containing resident exotic parasitoid species (Ichneumonoidea: Braconidae; Ichneumonidae) in New Zealand, as well as their known global host ranges and the pest status of host species, to infer the potential for biotic resistance.
3. The known exotic ichneumonoid fauna in New Zealand comprises 65 species. These species associate with 107 host species in New Zealand, of which 54 species are pests. However, the current exotic species could potentially suppress 442 pest species not yet occurring in New Zealand.
4. This approach could be used to inform pest management programmes worldwide. Future research should consider how biotic resistance from the established parasitoid fauna can be used to inform specific decisions with respect to classical biological control.