Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora mayrella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) = Coleophora spissicornis, banded clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Pristomerus orbitalis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Imported:
1952, 1955
Import source:
Near Montmédy, France
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - an unknown number of P. orbitalis were imported in Coleophora trifolii host larvae collected near Montmédy, France in 1952 and 1955. No releases of reared adult wasps were made from the 1952 importations but parasitised hosts containing P. orbitalis (among other parasitoid species) were placed in the field in March 1953. There were no releases from the 1955 shipment; some emerging adults were used to test the ability of parasitoids to attack New Zealand Coleophora spp. and others sent to the British Museum of Natural History for identification. [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 the introduction entries for the agents imported against C. alcyonipenella for details - and Coleophora spissicornis has subsequently been synonymised with C. mayrella - see Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) entry below in 'General comments' section.]
Released:
1953
Release details:
Cameron et al. (1989) - in March 1953 several hundred parasitised hosts containing P. orbitalis (amongst other species) were released, probably near Nelson.
Establishment:
Cameron et al. (1989) - there have been no recoveries of P. orbitalis.
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
