Stantonia pallida (Ashmead)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a classical biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.)R.Br.(Polypodiales: Lygodiaceae)

Authors: Kula, Robert; Boughton, Anthony; Pemberton, Robert

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2009
Publication Date: 2/19/2010
Citation: Kula, R.R., Boughton, A.J., Pemberton, R.W. 2010. Stantonia pallida (Ashmead)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a classical biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.)R.Br.(Polypodiales: Lygodiaceae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 112(1):61-68.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps attack agricultural and forest pests that cause billions of dollars of damage to crops and forests annually. They also attack economically important natural enemies and are considered pests when they disrupt biocontrol. The wasp treated in this paper attacks moth larvae used for biocontrol of an exotic invasive fern in Florida. The wasp was imported from Colombia but was likely present in Florida prior to release. Increased knowledge of this wasp can help determine its impact on the biocontrol moth and how parasitism might affect the moth’s ability to control the weed. This paper reports the first record of a wasp attacking the biocontrol moth and biological and distributional data for the wasp. The importance of systematics and natural history collections to biocontrol are discussed using the wasp as an example. This paper will be useful to scientists, as well as State and Federal personnel, involved in biocontrol.

Technical Abstract: Stantonia pallida (Ashmead) sensu Braet and Quicke (2004) and an undetermined species of Cotesia are reported from Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren, a classical biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Br. in Florida. They are the first reported parasitoids of N. conspurcatalis. Observations on the biology of S. pallida are reported. The use of S. pallida, under the name Stantonia lamprosemae Muesebeck, for biological control of Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus) and Diaphania nitidalis (Stoll) in Florida is reviewed and used to illustrate the importance of systematics and natural history collections to classical biological control. The potential effects of these parasitoids on control of L. microphyllum in Florida are discussed.