Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora alcyonipennella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), small clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Bracon osculator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Imported:
1952, 1955?
Import source:
Near Montmédy, France
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - Bracon osculator was imported in 1952 as parasitised Coleophora trifolii host larvae collected near Montmédy, France. Approximately 100 adult wasps emerged and were released. A 1955 importation of 5,000 parasitised C. trifolii from Montmédy also contained some B. osculator. The five females and two males which emerged were destroyed after failing to parasitise New Zealand Coleophora. [Cameron et al. (1989) reported the New Zealand pest species of Coleophora, targeted by biocontrol programmes, as C. frischella and C. spissicornis. However, it is now considered very likely that it is C. alcyonipenella rather than C. frischella present in New Zealand - see Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) entry below in 'General comments' section - and Coleophora spissicornis has subsequently been synonymised with C. mayrella - see the introduction entries for the agents imported against C. mayrella for details.] After a limited number of specimens were examined, there was some doubt that the species imported in 1955 was in fact B. osculator.
Released:
Late-1952 or early-1953
Release details:
Cameron et al. (1989) - approximately 100 adults that had emerged from imported hosts were released near Nelson, South Island in late-December 1952 (1953?), at a time suitable hosts would have been available in the field. A further several hundred host larval cases containing parasitised larvae [apparently a mix of locally-collected Coleophora spp. and unemerged C. trifolii from the August 1952 importation] were placed in the field in March 1953; some of these would have contained B. osculator.
Establishment:
Cameron et al. (1989) - there have been no recoveries of B. osculator.
General comments:
Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) - Coleophora frischella has been reported present in New Zealand as the white-tipped clover casebearer by Cameron et al. (1989) and many other authors. However, it is very likely that the species reported from New Zealand as C. frischella is, in fact, C. alcyonipennella. Dugdale (1988) does not report C. frischella from New Zealand. He notes that the name frischella has been used for Coleophora specimens here, but he regards these as misidentifications of C. trifolii, and regards Coleophora alcyonipennella as a synonym of C. trifolii. However, Stubner (2007), in his revision of the C. frischella taxonomic group, considered C. frischella, C. alcyonipennella and C. trifolii all to be valid names (i.e. valid, separate species). Coleophora alcyonipennella, but not C. frischella or C. trifolii, is reported to be present in New Zealand by Biota of New Zealand (Landcare Research Biota of NZ - accessed 22 September 2025) and the New Zealand Arthropod Collection (Landcare Research SCNZ - accessed 22 September 2025).
References
Cameron PJ, Hill RL, Bain J, Thomas WP (1989). A Review of Biological Control of Invertebrate Pests and Weeds in New Zealand 1874-1987. Technical Communication No 10. CAB International Institute of Biological Control. DSIR Entomology Division. 424p.
Dugdale JS (1988). Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa. Fauna of New Zealand, 14 https://doi.org/10.7931/J2/FNZ.14
Landcare Research Biota of NZ (). Biota of New Zealand. Landcare Research website https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz
Landcare Research SCNZ (). New Zealand Arthropod Collection: Systematics Collections Data. Landcare Research website https://scd.landcareresearch.co.nz/
Stubner A (2007). Taxonomic revision of the Coleophora frischella species group (Coleophoridae). Nota Lepidopterologica 30 (1): 121-172 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bc78/ab9b0a5889d02036f0d79ac1b4ce6f334582.pdf
