Journal of the Australian Entomological Society (1978) 17, 65-73

P.G. Allsopp (1978)
Seasonal history, hosts and natural enemies of Monistria discrepans (Walker) (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) in south-west Queensland
Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 17 (1), 65-73
Abstract: Monistria discrepans in south-west Queensland, Australia, is an obligate univoltine species. A temperature controlled diapause confines hatching of eggs laid during March-May to early October. Larvae develop throughout the summer, resulting in a population entirely of adults by April. The presence of larvae coincides with the maximum growth of the host plant, Eremophila gilesii. Feeding is restricted to Eremophila and Myoporum (both Myoporaceae) in the Charleville area of south-west Queensland, but other families of plants are utilised in eastern areas of Queensland. In laboratory tests larvae failed to develop on Graminae, Compositae and Leguminosae. Parasitism by the mites Leptus sp. and Podapolipus sp. nr lahillei (Acari) reached levels of 7.0 % and 94.4 % respectively during 1973-75. The non-specific tachinid Ceracia fergusoni and sarcophagid Blaesoxipha pachytyli (Diptera) parasitised mainly adult females (up to 20.8 % total parasitism) but also attacked final instar female larvae and adult males. The fungus, Aspergillus flavus infected up to 40.9 % of field-collected adults, but survival was high except after rain or in the high humidity of the laboratory. Although insectivorous birds were present in the area, they had little effect on the M. discrepans population
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied from Acridological Abstracts with permission by NRI, Univ. of Greenwich at Medway.)
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
population dynamics/epizootiology
non-target effects/fate in environm.

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Eremophila gilesii (weed)		Australia (NT+QLD)
Monistria discrepans (weed bioagent)	Eremophila gilesii (weed)		Australia (NT+QLD)