Comprehensive list of weed biocontrol agents under investigation at Manaaki Whenua.
| Alligator weed beetle (Agasicles hygrophila) |
Foliage feeder, common, often provides excellent control on static water bodies. |
| Alligator weed beetle (Disonycha argentinensis) |
Foliage feeder, released widely in the early 1980s, failed to establish. |
| Alligator weed moth (Macrorrhinia endonephele) |
Stem borer, common in some areas, can provide excellent control on static water bodies. |
| Blackberry rust (Phragmidium violaceum) |
Leaf rust fungus, self-introduced, common in areas where susceptible plants occur, can be damaging but many plants are resistant. |
| Boneseed leaf roller (Tortrix s.l. sp. “chrysanthemoides” ) |
Foliage feeder, established and quite common at some North Island (NI) sites but no significant damage yet, limited by predation and parasitism. |
| Bridal creeper rust (Puccinia myrsiphylli) |
Rust fungus, self-introduced, first noticed in 2005, widespread and providing good control. |
| Broom gall mite (Aceria genistae) |
Gall former, becoming widespread in some regions, beginning to cause extensive damage to broom at many sites, especially in the South Island (SI). |
| Broom leaf beetle (Gonioctena olivacea) |
Foliage feeder, establishment confirmed at sites in both islands but not yet common, impact unknown. |
| Broom psyllid (Arytainilla spartiophila) |
Sap sucker, becoming common, some damaging outbreaks seen, but may be limited by predation, impact unknown. |
| Broom seed beetle (Bruchidius villosus) |
Seed feeder, common in many areas, now destroying up to 84% of seeds at older release sites. |
| Broom shoot moth (Agonopterix assimilella) |
Foliage feeder, recently released at limited sites as difficult to rear, appears to be established in low numbers at perhaps 3 sites. |
| Broom twig miner (Leucoptera spartifoliella) |
Stem miner, self-introduced, common, often causes obvious damage. |
| Californian thistle flea beetle (Altica carduorum) |
Foliage feeder, released widely during the early 1990s, failed to establish. |
| Californian thistle gall fly (Urophora cardui) |
Gall former, extremely rare as galls tend to be eaten by sheep, impact unknown. |
| Californian thistle leaf beetle (Lema cyanella) |
Foliage feeder, only established at one site near Auckland, where it causes obvious damage and from which it is dispersing, also recently reported in the Hawke’s Bay. |
| Californian thistle rust (Puccinia punctiformis) |
Systemic rust fungus, self-introduced, common, damage usually not widespread. |
| Californian thistle stem miner (Ceratapion onopordi) |
Stem miner, attacks a range of thistles, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, establishment success unknown. |
| Green thistle beetle (Cassida rubiginosa) |
Foliage feeder, attacks a range of thistles, released widely and some damaging outbreaks beginning to occur. |
| Chilean needle grass rust (Uromyces pencanus) |
Rust fungus, approved for release in 2011 but not released yet as waiting for export permit to be granted, only SI populations likely to be susceptible. |
| Darwin’s barberry flower bud weevil (Anthonomus kuscheli) |
Flower bud feeder, approved for release in 2012, releases will be made after the seed weevil is established if still needed. |
| Darwin’s barberry seed weevil (Berberidicola exaratus) |
Seed feeder, releases began in 2015, difficult to rear so widespread releases will begin once harvesting from field is possible, establishment looking likely at a Southland site. |
| Field horsetail weevil (Grypus equiseti) |
Foliage and rhizome feeder, field releases began in 2017, establishment is looking likely, further releases planned. |
| Giant reed gall wasp (Tetramesa romana) |
Stem galler, field releases began in late 2017, establishment success unknown, further releases planned. |
| Giant reed scale (Rhizaspidiotus donacis) |
Sap sucker, approved for release in 2017, first field releases made early in 2021, establishment success unknown, further releases planned. |
| Gorse colonial hard shoot moth (Pempelia genistella) |
Foliage feeder, from limited releases widely established only in Canterbury, impact unknown, but obvious damage seen at several sites. |
| Gorse hard shoot moth (Scythris grandipennis) |
Foliage feeder, failed to establish from a small number released at one site, no further releases planned due to rearing difficulties. |
| Gorse pod moth (Cydia succedana) |
Seed feeder, common in many areas, can destroy many seeds in spring but not as effective in autumn, not well synchronised with gorse flowering in some areas. |
| Gorse seed weevil (Exapion ulicis) |
Seed feeder, common, destroys many seeds in spring. |
| Gorse soft shoot moth (Agonopterix umbellana) |
Foliage feeder, common in parts of the SI with some impressive outbreaks seen, and well established and spreading at a site in Northland, impact unknown. |
| Gorse spider mite (Tetranychus lintearius) |
Sap sucker, common, often causes obvious damage, but ability to persist is limited by predation. |
| Gorse stem miner (Anisoplaca pytoptera) |
Stem miner, native, common in the SI, often causes obvious damage, lemon tree borer has similar impact in the NI. |
| Gorse thrips (Sericothrips staphylinus) |
Sap sucker, common in many areas, impact unknown. |
| Heather beetle (Lochmaea suturalis) |
Foliage feeder, has damaged/killed 40,000+ ha heather at Tongariro National Park and Rotorua since 1996, spreading rapidly, uncertain if new strains more suited to high altitude released recently have established. |
| Hemlock moth (Agonopterix alstromeriana) |
Foliage feeder, self-introduced, common, often causes severe damage. |
| Hieracium crown hover fly (Cheilosia psilophthalma) |
Crown feeder, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, thought unlikely to have established. |
| Hieracium gall midge (Macrolabis pilosellae) |
Gall former, established but spreading slowly in the SI, common near Waiouru, where it has reduced host by 18% over 6 years, very damaging in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium gall wasp (Aulacidea subterminalis) |
Gall former, established and spreading well in the SI but more slowly in the NI, appears to be having minimal impact although it reduced stolon length in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium plume moth (Oxyptilus pilosellae) |
Foliage feeder, only released at one site due to rearing difficulties, did not establish. |
| Hieracium root hover fly (Cheilosia urbana) |
Root feeder, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, thought unlikely to have established. |
| Hieracium rust (Puccinia hieracii var. piloselloidarum) |
Leaf rust fungus, self-introduced?, common, causes slight damage to some mouse-ear hawkweed, plants vary in susceptibility. |
| Horehound clearwing moth (Chamaesphecia mysinformis) |
Root feeder, released at limited sites in late 2018, established and spreading slowly at sites in the Mackenzie District and North Canterbury, impact unknown, further releases planned. |
| Horehound plume moth (Wheerleria spilodactylus) |
Foliage feeder, released at limited sites in late 2018, established at sites in North Canterbury and Marlborough, causing obvious damage already, further releases planned. |
| Honshu white admiral (Limenitis glorifica) |
Foliage feeder, field releases began in 2014, already well established and dispersing from site in the Waikato, widespread releases now underway. |
| Japanese honeysuckle stem beetle (Oberea shirahatai) |
Stem miner, field releases began in 2017, difficult to rear so widespread releases will begin once harvesting from field is possible, some likely damage seen at one site. |
| Lantana blister rust (Puccinia lantanae) |
Leaf and stem rust fungus, releases began autumn 2015, does not appear to have established to date, and a further attempt will be made in 2021. |
| Lantana leaf rust (Prospodium tuberculatum) |
Leaf rust fungus, releases began autumn 2015, established well and causing severe defoliation already at several sites in Northland. |
| Lantana plume moth (Lantanophaga pusillidactyla) |
Flower feeder, self-introduced, host range, distribution and impact unknown. |
| Mexican devil weed gall fly (Procecidochares utilis) |
Gall former, common, initially high impact but now reduced considerably by Australian parasitic wasp. |
| Mexican devil weed leaf fungus (Passalora ageratinae) |
Leaf fungus, probably accidentally introduced with gall fly in 1958, common and almost certainly having an impact. |
| Mist flower fungus (Entyloma ageratinae) |
Leaf smut, common and often causes severe damage. |
| Mist flower gall fly (Procecidochares alani) |
Gall former, common now at many sites, in conjunction with the leaf smut provides excellent control of mist flower. |
| Moth plant beetle (Freudeita cupripennis) |
Root and foliage feeder, field releases began in late 2019 and will be on-going, some promising early signs that establishment is likely. |
| Moth plant rust (Puccinia araujiae) |
Rust fungus, approved for release in 2015 but not released yet as waiting for export permit to be granted. |
| Nodding thistle crown weevil (Trichosirocalus horridus) |
Root and crown feeder, becoming common on several thistles, often provides excellent control in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
| Nodding thistle gall fly (Urophora solstitialis) |
Seed feeder, becoming common, can help to provide control in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
| Nodding thistle receptacle weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus) |
Seed feeder, common on several thistles, can help to provide control of nodding thistle in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
| Old man’s beard bud-galling mite (Aceria vitalbae) |
Gall former which stunts the new growth, approved for release in 2019, the first field release is planned for 2021. |
| Old man’s beard leaf fungus (Phoma clematidina) |
Leaf fungus, initially caused noticeable damage but has become rare or died out. |
| Old man’s beard leaf miner (Phytomyza vitalbae) |
Leaf miner, common, damaging outbreaks occasionally seen, but appears to be limited by parasitism. |
| Old man’s beard sawfly (Monophadnus spinolae) |
Foliage feeder, limited releases as difficult to rear and only established in low numbers at a site in Nelson, more released in North Canterbury in 2018 in attempt to establish it more widely and some promising signs of likely establishment seen. |
| Privet lace bug (Leptoypha hospita) |
Sap sucker, releases began spring 2015, establishment confirmed in Auckland and Waikato, some promising early damage seen already in shaded sites. |
| Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) |
Foliage feeder, common in some areas, often causes obvious damage. |
| Ragwort crown-boring moth (Cochylis atricapitana) |
Stem miner and crown borer, released widely, but probably failed to establish. |
| Ragwort flea beetle (Longitarsus jacobaeae) |
Root and crown feeder, common, provides excellent control in many areas. |
| Ragwort plume moth (Platyptilia isodactyla) |
Stem, crown and root borer, recently released widely, well established and quickly reducing ragwort noticeably at many sites. |
| Ragwort seed fly (Botanophila jacobaeae) |
Seed feeder, established in the central NI, no significant impact. |
| Greater St John’s wort beetle (Chrysolina quadrigemina) |
Foliage feeder, common in some areas, not believed to be as significant as the lesser St John’s wort beetle. |
| Lesser St John’s wort beetle (Chrysolina hyperici) |
Foliage feeder, common, nearly always provides excellent control. |
| St John’s wort gall midge (Zeuxidiplosis giardi) |
Gall former, established in the northern SI, often causes severe stunting. |
| Scotch thistle gall fly (Urophora stylata) |
Seed feeder, released at limited sites but becoming common, fewer thistles observed at some sites, recent study suggests it can have a significant impact on seed production. |
| Tradescantia leaf beetle (Neolema ogloblini) |
Foliage feeder, released widely since 2011, establishing well and beginning to cause noticeable or major damage at many sites already. |
| Tradescantia stem beetle (Lema basicostata) |
Stem borer, releases began in 2012, establishing well with major damage seen at several sites already. |
| Tradescantia tip beetle (Neolema abbreviata) |
Tip feeder, releases began in 2013, appears to be establishing readily, no significant impact observed yet. |
| Tradescantia yellow leaf spot (Kordyana brasiliensis) |
Leaf fungus, field releases began in 2018 and are continuing, establishment confirmed at several sites and promising damage seen already at one site in the Waikato. |
| Tutsan beetle (Chrysolina abchasica) |
Foliage feeder, difficult to mass rear in captivity so limited field releases made since 2017, establishment success unknown but some promising signs seen. |
| Tutsan moth (Lathronympha strigana) |
Foliage and seed pod feeder, field releases began in 2017 with good numbers released widely, establishment success unknown. |
| Woolly nightshade lace bug (Gargaphia decoris) |
Sap sucker, recently released widely, establishing readily at many sites and becoming common, beginning to cause significant damage at many shaded sites. |
Key contact
Angela Bownes
Science Team Leader - Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology
Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology
Contact