Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora mayrella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) = Coleophora spissicornis, banded clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Casinaria sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) = Horogenes sp.
Imported: 1962, 1969
Import source:
1962 Avignon, France via Delémont, Switzerland; 1969 near Freiburg, Germany
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - Casinaria sp. was imported as parasitised Coleophora spp. host larvae. A shipment of C. frischella larvae from Avignon, France in November 1962 contained about 80 Casinaria sp. Three males (which were preserved for reference) emerged prior to the shipment being destroyed because of an infestation of the mite Pyemotes zwoelferia. A 1969 shipment of C. deauratella from near Freiburg, Germany contained an estimated 450 Casinaria sp. There is no record of the numbers that emerged, but a ‘small number’ of parasitised host larvae were released. [NB: there may be some doubt about the identity of the Coleophora species reported in this entry as C. frishcella. Cameron et al. (1989) reported C. frischella and C. spissicornis present in New Zealand, but it is now considered very likely that it is C. alcyonipenella rather than C. frischella present in New Zealand - see the introduction entries for the agents imported against C. alcyonipenella for details. Coleophora spissicornis has subsequently been synonymised with C. mayrella - see Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) entry below in 'General comments' section.]
Released:
1969
Release details:
Cameron et al. (1989) - in 1969 a ‘small number of Casinaria’ sp.-parasitised host larvae were released at Appleby near Nelson, South Island.
Establishment:
Cameron et al. (1989) - there have been no recoveries of Casinaria sp.
General comments:
Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) - Coleophora spissicornis is reported present in New Zealand as the banded clover casebearer by Cameron et al. (1989) and other authors. Baldizzone (1994) synonymised C. spissicornis with C. mayrella and Stubner (2007) treats it as a synonym of C. mayrella in his revision of the C. frischella taxonomic group (though noting some uncertainty about this due to the type specimen of Porrectaria spissicornis being damaged.) Coleophora mayrella, but not C. spissicornis, 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
Baldizzone G (1994). Contribuzioni alla conoscenza dei Coleophoridae. LXXXVII. Coleophoridae nuovi o poco conosciuti dell'Africa settentrionale (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 25(100): 219-257
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.
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
