Biocontrol introduction
Target pests:
- Polistes chinensis antennalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Asian paper wasp
- Polistes dominula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), European paper wasp
- Polistes humilis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Australian paper wasp
- Vespula germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), German wasp
- Vespula vulgaris (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), common wasp
Agent introduced: Leopoldius coronatus (Diptera: Conopidae)
EPA Applications:
EPA (2017b) - 18 Jul 2017: application by Landcare Research to import into containment parasitoids of the genera Volucella (Diptera: Syrphidae), Leopoldius (Diptera: Conopidae) and Metoecus (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) to investigate their potential as biological control agents of invasive social wasps (Vespidae: subfamilies: Polistinae & Vespinae). EPA Application # APP203346, approved with controls 6 Sep 2017.
References
EPA (2017b). EPA Application APP203346: to import into containment insects (Diptera: Syrphidae, Conopidae; Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) to investigate their potential as biological control agents of invasive social wasps (Vespidae: subfamilies: Polistinae & Vespinae). Environmental Protection Agency website https://www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/hsno-application-register/view/APP203346
