Environmental Entomology (1990) 19, 130-136

G.B. Dennill and A.J. Gordon (1990)
Climate-related differences in the efficacy of the Australian gall wasp (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) released for the control of Acacia longifolia in South Africa
Environmental Entomology 19 (1), 130-136
Abstract: The gall wasp Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae Froggatt (Pteromalidae) was released at 136 sites throughout the distribution area of the weed Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willdenow in the Cape Province and Natal, South Africa. Each site was monitored annually to determine whether the wasp would establish and to determine its effectiveness where it had established. T. acaciaelongifoliae did establish throughout the range of A. longifolia. In the cooler coastal regions of the southwestern Cape and southern Cape, the wasp established well and levels of infestation were consistently high. However, in the hotter inland valleys and west coast of the southwestern Cape Province, and in Natal, establishment was poor and infestation levels were consistently low. In Australia, A. longifolia occurs naturally along the coastal regions of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and eastern South Australia. However, the T. acaciaelongifoliae individuals released in South Africa originate only from the coastal regions of New South Wales and Victoria, and Tasmania. Climatically, these areas correspond most closely to the regions in which the wasp is most successful in South Africa. The method whereby the insects were released in South Africa, and the methods for evaluating the degree of establishment and subsequent infestation levels at each release site, are described.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: English)
Database assignments for author(s): A.J. (Tony) Gordon

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
classical biocontrol/new introduction

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Acacia longifolia (weed)		South Africa
Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae (weed bioagent)			Australia (South+SE)
Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae (weed bioagent)			Australia (NT+QLD)
Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae (weed bioagent)	Acacia longifolia (weed)		South Africa