Bioclimatic analyses of Trichomalus perfectus and Mesopolobus morys (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) distributions, two potential biological control agents of the cabbage seedpod weevil in North America

AbstractThe ceutorhynchine weevils Hadroplontus litura (F.) and Microplontus edentulus (Schultze) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are established in North America as biological control agents for Canada thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., and scentless chamomile, Tripleurospermum perforatum (Mérat) M. Lainz (Asteraceae), respectively. In North America, both weeds occur sympatrically and in similar habitats as another ceutorhynchine, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (cabbage seedpod weevil), an important pest of canola, Brassica napus L., and Brassica rapa L. (Brassicaceae). Ceutorhynchinae weevils released to control weeds in cultivated crops may serve as alternate hosts if agents released for biological control of C. obstrictus are not specific to that species. Parasitoids associated with M. edentulus and H. litura inflict similar levels of mortality on their hosts, yet a single species was associated with the latter host, whereas 13 species attacked the former. The stem-mining M. edentulus appears to be at some risk but not the root-crown feeding H. litura, should the parasitoids Trichomalus perfectus (Walker) and Mesopolobus morys (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) be introduced as biological control agents of the silique-feeding C. obstrictus. These findings suggest that feeding niche may be an important criterion for developing a nontarget species test list for host-range testing of potential biological control agents.

Download Full-text

Yellow Brazilian Pepper-tree Leaf Galler (suggested common name) Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt (Insecta: Hemiptera: Calophyidae: Calophyinae)

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in1186-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (6) ◽

Author(s):

James P. Cuda ◽

Patricia Prade ◽

Carey R. Minteer-Killian

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Natural Enemies ◽

Host Plants ◽

Classical Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agents ◽

Pepper Tree ◽

Brazilian Pepper ◽

Close Relatives ◽

Tree Leaf

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]

Download Full-text

The species of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) introduced to North America for biological control of the cabbage seedpod weevil, and the first recovery of Stenomalina gracilis (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae)

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n05-110 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 138 (3) ◽

pp. 285-291 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Gary A.P. Gibson ◽

David R. Gillespie ◽

Lloyd Dosdall

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

British Columbia ◽

North America ◽

Classical Biological Control ◽

Ceutorhynchus Obstrictus ◽

Pteromalus Puparum ◽

Cabbage Seedpod Weevil

AbstractThe species of Pteromalidae (Chalcidoidea) introduced to British Columbia, Canada, from Europe in 1949 as Trichomalus fasciatus (Thomson, 1878), Xenocrepis pura Mayr, 1904, and Habrocytus sp. for classical biological control of Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham, 1802) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are shown to be misidentifications of Trichomalus perfectus (Walker, 1835), Mesopolobus morys (Walker, 1848), and Stenomalina gracilis (Walker, 1834), respectively. Species reared subsequently from seedpods of Brassica spp. (Brassicaceae) in British Columbia and reported in the literature under the first three names are shown to be misidentifications of, respectively, Trichomalus lucidus (Walker, 1835), Mesopolobus moryoides Gibson, 2005, and one or both of Pteromalus puparum (L., 1758) and T. lucidus. There is no evidence that either T. perfectus or M. morys established in North America, but S. gracilis is newly recorded from southern British Columbia based on specimens reared from Brassicaceae seedpods in 2004 and 2005.

Download Full-text

Larval phenologies and parasitoids of two seed-feeding weevils associated with hoary cress and shepherd's purse (Brassicaceae) in Europe

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n11-020 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 143 (4) ◽

pp. 399-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Franck J. Muller ◽

Lloyd M. Dosdall ◽

Peter G. Mason ◽

Ulrich Kuhlmann

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Brassica Napus ◽

North America ◽

Host Specificity ◽

Brassica Rapa ◽

Ceutorhynchus Obstrictus ◽

Hoary Cress ◽

Cabbage Seedpod Weevil ◽

Alien Pest ◽

Host Associations

AbstractIn Europe, Ceutorhynchus turbatus Schultze and Ceutorhynchus typhae (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) feed on seeds from hoary cress and shepherd's purse (Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. and Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.); both plants are invasive in North America. In North America, C. turbatus is a candidate for biological control of hoary cress, C. typhae is adventive, and both are sympatric with cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham)), an invasive alien pest of canola (Brassica napus L. and Brassica rapa L., Brassicaceae). We investigated host associations among C. turbatus, C. typhae, and their parasitoids in Europe. Of particular interest was host specificity of Trichomalus perfectus (Walker) and Mesopolobus morys (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), candidates for biological control of C. obstrictus in North America. We found no evidence that T. perfectus attacks C. turbatus or C. typhae; however, M. morys was the most common parasitoid associated with C. turbatus.

Download Full-text

Temporal Asynchrony of Adult Emergence Between Leucopis argenticollis and Leucopis piniperda (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), Predators of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), with Implications for Biological Control

Environmental Entomology ◽

10.1093/ee/nvaa049 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 823-828

Author(s):

Alex N Neidermeier ◽

Darrell W Ross ◽

Nathan P Havill ◽

Kimberly F Wallin

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Adult Emergence ◽

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ◽

Adelges Tsugae ◽

Tsuga Heterophylla ◽

Eastern North America ◽

Biological Control Agents ◽

The Pacific

Abstract Two species of silver fly, Leucopis argenticollis (Zetterstedt) and Leucopis piniperda (Malloch) (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), from the Pacific Northwest region of North America have been identified as potential biological control agents of hemlock woolly adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae: Adelges tsugae Annand) in eastern North America. The two predators are collectively synchronized with A. tsugae development. To determine whether adult emergence of the two species of silver fly are also synchronized with one another, we collected adult Leucopis which emerged from A. tsugae-infested western hemlock [Pinaceae: Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.] from four sites in the Pacific Northwest over a 29-d period. Specimens were collected twice daily in the laboratory and identified to species using DNA barcoding. The study found that more adult Leucopis were collected in the evening than the morning. Additionally, the daily emergences of adults over the 29-d sampling period exhibited sinusoidal-like fluctuations of peak abundance of each species, lending evidence to a pattern of temporal partitioning. This pattern could have logistical implications for their use as biological control agents in eastern North America, namely the need to release both species for maximum efficacy in decreasing A. tsugae populations.

Download Full-text

A review of the species of Mesopolobus (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) associated with Ceutorhynchus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) host-species of European origin

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485307005032 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 97 (4) ◽

pp. 387-397 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

H. Baur ◽

F.J. Muller ◽

G.A.P. Gibson ◽

P.G. Mason ◽

U. Kuhlmann

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Classical Biological Control ◽

Junior Synonym ◽

European Origin ◽

Ceutorhynchus Obstrictus ◽

Hoary Cress ◽

Cabbage Seedpod Weevil ◽

Lepidium Draba ◽

First Time

AbstractFour species of Mesopolobus Westwood were reared as parasitoids of Ceutorhynchinae hosts in Europe during surveys in 2000–2004. An illustrated key is given to differentiate the four species, M. gemellus Baur & Muller sp. n., M. incultus (Walker), M. morys (Walker) and M. trasullus (Walker), plus M. moryoides Gibson, a parasitoid of the cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham), in North America. Pteromalus clavicornis Walker is recognized as a junior synonym of M. incultussyn. n., and Pteromalus berecynthos Walker (also a junior synonym of M. incultus) is considered a correct original spelling. For Disema pallipes Förster (a junior synonym of Mesopolobus morys), a lectotype is designated. Mesopolobus morys is for the first time accurately associated with the seed weevil Ceutorhynchus turbatus (Schultze), a potential agent for classical biological control, of hoary cress, Lepidium draba L. (Brassicaceae), in North America. Mesopolobus gemellus is associated with another seed weevil, Ceutorhynchus typhae (=C. floralis) (Herbst), in pods of shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (Brassicaceae). Implications of the host–parasitoid associations are discussed relative to the introduction of species to North America for classical biological control of the cabbage seedpod weevil.

Download Full-text

Notes on Insects, Especially Gymnaetron spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Associated with Toadflax, Liniaria vulgaris Mill. (Scrophulariaceae), in North America

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent91116-2 ◽

1959 ◽

Vol 91 (2) ◽

pp. 116-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

J. Morris Smith

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Natural Enemies ◽

The Other ◽

Biological Control Agents ◽

Linaria Vulgaris ◽

Canadian Provinces

Linaria vulgaris Mill., known commonly as toadflax or butter-and-eggs, is worldwide in its distribution but is a serious weed only in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Zilke and Coupland, 1954), where it is increasing in importance (Beck, 1954; Carder, 1956; Forbes, 1957). Smith (1956) correlated its relative insignificance as a weed in the other provinces and in the northwestern United States with the occurrence of the curculionid beetle Gylmnaetron antirrhini (Payk.). Investigations on this and other insects that feed on toadflax and an evaluation of their possible use as biological control agents are reported in this paper; also included are some observations on the weedand its natural enemies made since 1950 in all provinces west of Quebec and in the northwestern United States.

Download Full-text

Importance of long-term research in classical biological control: an analytical review of a release against the cabbage seedpod weevil in North America

Journal of Applied Entomology ◽

10.1111/j.1439-0418.2006.01085.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 130 (8) ◽

pp. 401-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

D. R. Gillespie ◽

P. G. Mason ◽

L. M. Dosdall ◽

P. Bouchard ◽

G. A. P. Gibson

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Classical Biological Control ◽

Analytical Review ◽

Cabbage Seedpod Weevil

Download Full-text

The regions of infestation of wool by Noogoora burr (Xanthium strumarium), their climates and the biological control of the weed

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar9740775 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 775 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

AJ Wapshere

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Economic Importance ◽

The Other ◽

Xanthium Strumarium ◽

New Delhi ◽

Biological Control Agents ◽

Other Hand ◽

Pyralid Moth

The distribution in Australia of a vegetable fault in wool caused by Noogoora burr, Xanthium stumarium, is outlined. The climates of the region in Australia where the burr produces maximum contamination of wool and where it is of the greatest economic importance are compared with the climates of North America (Texas) and the Indian subcontinent (New Delhi) from where the cerambycids, Mecas saturnina and Nupserha vexator, have been introduced respectively as biological control agents for the weed. The comparisons suggest that neither agent is climatically pre-adapted to the region in Australia where Noogoora burr has the greatest economic importance. On the other hand, a pyralid moth, Oeobia vevbascalis, from Pakistan is well adapted to the climates of the regions affected.

Download Full-text