24 Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 History of exploration effort on prickly Prospects for the biological control of prickly , acacia Prickly acacia has a broad native geo- Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Del. (Mimosaceae) in graphic range including much of and central (Figure 1). There are nine Australia recognized subspecies with more or less distinct geographic ranges (Brenan 1983). Jennifer Marohasy, Queensland Department of Lands, Alan Fletcher The weed in Queensland is thought to be Research Station, PO Box 36, Sherwood, Queensland 4075, Australia. A. nilotica indica (Bentham) Brenan which is considered native to India and Pakistan. However, variation in pod form within Summary (Ehretiaceae) was controlled in Mauritius Queensland, hearsay reports of introduc- Prickly acacia, Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. with a leaf-feeding , Metrogaleruca tions from Africa and at least one re- ex Del. (Mimosaceae), a major weed of obscura (Degeer) in combination with a ported case of possible hybrid sterility grasslands in north west Queensland, is wasp which attacks developing seeds, suggest introductions may have been native to Africa and the Indian subcon- Eurytoma attiva Burks (Julien 1992). A made from other regions. According to tinent. A large and diverse list of combination of introduced includ- Brenan (1983), subspecies indica may also species known to attack prickly acacia ing flower-feeding, seed-feeding and be native to north eastern Africa, further over this extensive region has been com- wood boring insects have greatly reduced confusing the situation. piled. The host specificity and the the spread of the tree Sesbania punicea A search for biological control agents potential of particular species as bio- (Cavanille) Bentham () in South for prickly acacia commenced in 1980 logical control agents is discussed. Africa (Hoffman 1990). A spectacular re- when the Queensland Department of cent success was the control of the Aus- Lands subcontracted the International In- Introduction tralian acacia, A. longifolia (Andrews) stitute of Biological Control’s Pakistan Willdenow (Mimosaceae), in South Af- Station. This five year project resulted in The weed problem rica through damage from the gall wasp, the field release of two insects, a seed- Prickly acacia, Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae (Froggatt). feeding bruchid, Bruchidius sahlbergi Del., is one of Queensland’s worst weeds. Dennill (1988) and Dennill and Gordon Schilsky, and a shoot-boring , It currently infests seven million hectares (1991) have shown that the effects of the Cuphodes profluens Meyrick (Julien 1992). of the once open Mitchell grassland. gall wasp on A. longifolia are particularly Only the bruchid has become established. Given a series of wet years it has been pre- severe because gall production uses far It is now widespread and destroying up dicted the entire grassland ecosystem more energy than normal growth and re- to 80% of mature seeds, however, it ap- could be lost to prickly acacia thorn for- production. There have been several less to be having minimal impact on the est. Thorny thickets interfere with muster- dramatic successes including the recent spread of prickly acacia (M. Ablin per- ing and a canopy cover of 20% reduces control of giant sensitive plant, Mimosa sonal communication). In 1989, a three herbage production by 50% resulting in invisa Martius (Mimosaceae), with the year project began in Kenya. The first in- increased soil erosion and reduced sap-sucking bug Heteropsylla spinulosa sect from this work, a leaf-feeding beetle biodiversity (J. Carter personal communi- Muddiman, Hodkinson and Hollis in Weiseana barkeri Jacoby, has been ap- cation). A variety of management strate- coastal Queensland (White and Donnelly proved for release (Marohasy in press) gies have been developed. In particular, 1993). mechanical control through double chain pulling has been successfully used to re- move dense infestations in some situa- tions (P. Jeffery personal communica- tion). Prickly acacia is not native to Aus- tralia and hence biological control through the introduction of insects from its native range is a possible control op- tion.

Successful attempts at biological control of woody weeds There is a tendency for the impact of in- sects on a plant species’ abundance to be underestimated. Wilson (1964) stated “it is highly doubtful if plant ecologists, ex- amining without knowledge of past events the present situation of any weed that has been controlled biologically in any coun- try, would attribute any importance to the effects of insects on the weed’s abun- dance”. Perhaps as a consequence, the likelihood of achieving successful biologi- cal control of present weeds tends to be underestimated. There are several examples of the suc- Figure 1. The native distribution of prickly acacia showing regions cessful control of woody weeds using bio- climatically similar to north west Queensland using the computer program logical control agents. The tree Cordia Climex, Version 4.2, and target location Hughenden, Queensland. The curassavica (Jacquin) Roemer & Schultes larger the dot the better the climate match. Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 25 and field releases will begin in 1995 sub- Table 1. Insects recorded feeding on prickly acacia in its native range. ject to supply of from Kenya. The projects in Pakistan (Mohyuddin LEAF-FEEDING INSECTS 1980) and in Kenya (Marohasy 1993) and work in other regions, in particular by India British colonial entomologists (Bhasin Achaea janata (Lep.: ), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) and Roonwall 1954, Peake 1954, Beeson Archips micaceanus (Lep.: Tonricidae), (Browne 1968) 1961), indicates that there exists a large Archips pomivoros (Lep.: ), (Browne 1968) and diverse complex of insects attacking Ascotis infixaria (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) prickly acacia in its native range and that Cacoecia pomivora (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) some species are very damaging. This pa- Cacoecia isocyrta (Lep.: Tortricidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) per lists all the insects recorded attacking Cacoecia micacaeana (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) prickly acacia and discusses the potential Capua detractana (Lep.: Tortricidae), (Browne 1968) of some species for the control of prickly Chilena similis (Lep.: ), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) acacia in Queensland. Clania crameri (Lep.: Psychidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) Cryptothelea crameri (Lep.: Psychidae), (Browne 1968) Insects known to attack prickly Cusiab raptaria (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) acacia in Africa and Asia Dasychira grotei (Lep.: Lymantriidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) Insects known to feed on prickly acacia in Dereodus mastos (Col.: Curculionidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) its native range are listed in Table 1 ac- Diapromorpha balteata (Col.: Chrysomelidae), (Browne 1968) cording to their mode of feeding and Epagoge retractana (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) country in which they were found. The lunata (Lep.: Lymantriidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) list includes over 260 species but is incom- Euproctis scintillans (Lep.: Lymantriidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) plete since many areas of the extensive Hyposidra successaria (Lep.: Geometridae), (Beeson 1961, Browne 1968) native range have not yet been explored. Lymantria incerta (Lep.: Lymantriidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) Most species listed in Table 1 are either hyrtaca (Lep.: Lasiocampidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) from Kenya, Pakistan or India. There was Ophiusa janata (Lep.: Noctuidae), (Browne 1968) a very limited amount of information on Schistocerca gregaria (Lep.: Orthoptera), (Browne 1968) insect species from Kenya and Pakistan Semiothisa streniataria (Lep.: Geometridae), (Beeson 1961, Browne 1968) before the respective biocontrol projects. Spatularia mimosae (Lep.: Lyonetiidae), (Browne 1968) The large number of insects recorded in Stemocera diardi (Col.: ), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) India (Table 1) probably reflects the zeal Stemocera laevigata (Col.: Buprestidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) of the British colonial entomologists and Stemocera orientalis (Col.: Buprestidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) the importance of prickly acacia as a tim- Sternocera chrysis (Col.: Buprestidae), (Browne 1963) ber tree in that country. Streblote siva (Lep.: Lasiocampidae), (Browne 1968) With the exception of Kenya, relatively Taragama siva (Lep.: Lasiocampidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) little is known about the insect fauna of Tephrina disputaria (Lep.: Geometridae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) prickly acacia in Africa. It is a dominant Thiacidas postica (Lep.: Noctuidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) tree species through much of the Nile Val- Traminda mundissima (Lep.: Geomet.), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) ley in Egypt (Bytinski-Salz 1954, Halperin and Sauter 1991). It is an important tim- Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished data) ber tree further upstream with planta- Acaciothrips ebneri (Thy.: Phaleothripidae) tions being actively managed on the flood Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Thy.: Thripidae) polyphagous plains of the Blue Nile in the Sudan Leipoxais sp. (Lep.: Lasiocampidae) (Peake 1954, El Atta 1988) and is also com- Lophotheridae sp. (Orth.: Thericleidae), polyphagous mon on the flood plains of the Senegel Myllocerus sp. (Col.: Curculionidae) River in West Africa (Aubreville 1941). It Myllocerus bayeri (Col.: Curculionidae) is likely that surveys in these regions and Odontocheilopteryx ?ungemachi (Lep.: Lasiocampidae) also in southern Africa would result in the Orygia mixta (Lep.: Lymantridae), polyphagous finding of many additional potential bio- Prasinocyma nereis (Lep.: Geometridae), specific to Acacia logical control agents. It is noteworthy Prasinocyma sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) that only three of the 72 insect species Semiothisa ?assimilis (Lep.: Geometridae) found attacking prickly acacia in Pakistan Semiothisa inconspicua (Lep.: Geometridae)A were also found in Kenya. Sesquialtera ridicula (Lep.: Geometridae) Tephrina ?presbitaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Potential biological control agents Tephrina sp. (Lep.: Geometridae), specific to subgenus Acacia Biological control agents for prickly aca- Weiseana barkeri (Col.: Chrysomelidae)A cia in Australia must be species-specific because the weed is closely related to the Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished data) many native Australian . Three Amblyrhinus poricollis (Col.: Curculionidae) Australian species of acacia are consid- Ascotis imparata (Lep.: Geometridae) ered most at risk by the introduction of Chlorissa punctifimbria (Lep.: Geometrldae)A biological control agents into Australia Comibaena cassidera (Lep.: Geometrldae)A because they are in the same subgenus as Cortyta vetusta (Lep.: Noctuidae) prickly acacia and also occur on the Euproctis lunata (Lep.: Lymantriidae) Mitchell grasslands. A. bidwillii Benth. Euproctis objecta (Lep.: Lymantriidae) and A. sutherlandii (F. Muell.) F. Muell. Euproctis subnotata (Lep.: Lymantriidae) (both known as corkwood wattle) and Euproctis scintillans (Lep.: Lymantriidae) A. farnesiana (L.) Willd. (mimosa bush). continued on next page/... 26 Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 The host plant range of most of the in- Table 1. continued from previous page sects listed in Table 1 is not known. Host specificity testing has only been under- Gymnoscelis sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) taken for some of the insects from Kenya Hypolixus truncatulus (Col.: Curculionidae) (Marohasy 1993, Marohasy in press) and Imma sp. (Lep.: Glyphipterygidae) Pakistan (Mohyuddin unpublished data). Julodis whithilli (Col.: Buprestidae) These tests or extensive field observations Myllocerus undecimpustulatus (Col.: Curculionidae) indicate that seventeen species are spe- Myllocerus transmarinus (Col.: Curculionidae) cific or are likely to be specific to prickly Myllocerus laetivirens (Col.: Curculionidae) acacia and would thus be suitable for in- Myllocerus spp. (Col.: Curculionidae) troduction into Australia. These species Myllocerus tabricii (Col.: Curculionidae) are marked A in Table 1. Nola analis (Lep.: ) There are few reliable criteria for deter- ?Nephopteryx sp. (Lep.: Pyralidae) mining the likely effectiveness of these Pachytychius viciae (Col.: Curculionidae) species as control agents (van Lentern Peltotorachelus juvencus (Col.: Curculionidae) 1980, Cullen 1992). There are two factors Phycita sp. (Lep.: Pyralidae) that will determine their potential effec- Scythris sp. (Lep.: Scythridae) tiveness: Scythris camelella (Lep.: Scythridae) i. the type of damage they inflict and (Lep.: Noctuidae) ii.whether or not populations can build Streblota siva (Lep.: Lasiocampidae) up to large enough numbers to affect Tanymecus sp. (Col.: Curculionidae) the weed’s population dynamics. Tephrina disputaria (Lep.: Geometrldae)A Obviously the more damaging the indi- vidual insect the lower the critical popu- Nigeria (from Roberts 1969) lation number. Many factors affect the Amblyrhinus brunneus (Col.: Curculionidae) potential of an insect species to become Amblyrhinus instabalis (Col.: Curculionidae) abundant, including how well adapted it Clypsotidia conitera (Lep.: Noctuidae) is to the new environment and levels of Cryptothelea junodi (Lep.: Psychidae) parasitism and predation. It is difficult to predict levels of parasitism and predation Sudan (from Thornton 1957) prior to the release and establishment of a Auchmophila kordotensis (Lep.: Psychidae), specific to Acacia control agent. Insects from similar cli- mates (McFadyen 1991) and the same SAP-SUCKING INSECTS subspecies of prickly acacia would be ex- pected to be better adapted. Figure 1 Egypt (from Girling unpublished) shows the regions in Asia and Africa cli- Ceronema acaciae (Hem.: Coccidae) specific to Acacia matically most similar to the Mitchell grasslands (Climex Version 4.2). The best India matches within the native distribution of Anomalococcus indicus (Hem.: Coccidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) prickly acacia are in southern Africa. Aspichproctus cinerea (Hem.: Coccidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) Mabote, Mozambique, and Tsumeb, Na- Drosicha stebbingi (Hem.: Margarodidae), (Browne 1968) mibia, give the best match, both with a Halys dentatus (Hem.: Pentatomidae), (Browne 1968) match index of 0.71. However, A. nilotica Hemaspidoproctus cineres (Hem.: Margarodidae), (Browne 1968) kraussiana (Bentham) Brenan which oc- Laccifer lacca (Hem.: Coccidae), (Beeson 1961, Browne 1968) curs here is morphologically least like the Oxyrhachis tarandus (Hem.: Membracidae), (Browne 1968, Thakur 1973) prickly acacia in Queensland. Lahore, Pa- kistan, gives the best match index for the Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished) Indian subcontinent with a match index Acaudaleyrodes sp. (Hem.: Aleyrodidae) of 0.65. Accacidia sp. 1 (Hem.: Cicadellidae) The mode of feeding of an insect spe- Accacidia sp. 2 (Hem.: Cicadellidae), specific to Acacia cies is a useful indication of the damage it Acizzia sp. (Hem.: Psylildae)A may cause the host plant, and with an Aphis craccivora (Hem.: Aphididae), polyphagous understanding of the biology of the weed Aspidoproctus sp. (Hem.: Margarodidae), specific to subgenus Acacia can also give some indication of its poten- Atelocera stictica (Hem.: Pentatomidae), polyphagous tial to affect weed population dynamics Coccus longulus (Hem.: Coccidae) (Briese 1993) . Potential control agents, and species indeterminate (Hem.: Psyllidae), specitic to Acacia their level of specificity and likelihood of Helionidia sp. (Hem.: Cicadellidae) becoming sufficiently abundant, are dis- Icerya purchasi (Hem.: Margarodidae), polyphagous cussed under the following headings Ledaspis reticulata (Hem.: Diaspididae) which relate to modes of feeding. Macropsis sp. (Hem.: Cicadellidae) Myzus persicae (Hem.: Aphididae), polyphagous Leaf-feeding insects Oxyrachis sp. (Hem.: Membracidae), specific to Acacia Many different lepidopteran species are Parasaissetia nigra (Hem.: Coccidae), polyphagous known to attack the foliage of prickly aca- Platacantha lutea (Hem.: Pentatomidae), specific to Acacia cia in India, Pakistan and Kenya (Table 1). Pseudoccocus sp. (Hem.: Pseudococcidae), specific to Acacia Preliminary host specificity tests indicate Tachardina ?brachystegiae (Hem.: Kerridae) a Kenyan species of , Tetraleurodes sp. (Hem.: Aleyrodidae) Semiothisa inconspicua Warren (unpub- Waxiella mimosae (Hem.: Coccidae), specific to Acacia lished data) and a chrysomelid beetle continued on next page/... Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 27 Table 1. continued from previous page W. barkeri Jacoby (Marohasy in press) and several Pakistani species of Pakistan lepidoptera are specific to prickly acacia Aleurobbus niloticae (Hem.: Aleyrodidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) (Mohyuddin unpublished). However, prec- Anomalococcus indicus (Hem.: Coccidae), (Beeson 1964), specific to Acacia (Girling un- edence suggests leaf-feeding lepidoptera published) are unlikely to be successful control Coccus sp. (Hem.: Coccidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) agents in Australia because they tend to Drosicha stebbingi (Hem.: Margarodidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) be heavily parasitized (R.E. McFadyen Erythroneura garhiensis (Hem.: Cicadellidae), (Ahmed 1970), specific to Acacia (Girling personal communication). The chryso- unpublished) melid W. barkeri has been approved for Flata sp. (Hem.: Flatidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) field release (Marohasy in press) and will Homoeocerus prominulus (Hem.: Coreidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) be released in north west Queensland in Kerria ebrachiata (Hem.: Kerriidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) 1995 subject to supply from Kenya. Ledropsis sp. (Hem.: Cicadellidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) Moonia sp. (Hem.: Cicadellidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) Sap-sucking insects Nipaecoccus viridis (Hem.: Pseudococcidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) Two species of psyllid attack prickly aca- Oxyrhachis tarandus (Hem.: Membracidae), (Mohyuddin unpublished) cia in Kenya (Table 1). An extensive field survey in Kenya indicated one species, Sudan (from Girling unpublished) Acizzia (new species), is specific to prickly Macropukinaria acaciae (Hem: Coccidae), specific to Acacia acacia, however, attempts to establish a colony in quarantine in Brisbane were GALLING INSECTS unsuccessful (B. Willson personal com- munication). Preliminary cage tests in Egypt (from Houard 1923) Kenya resulted in the abandonment of the Collula acaciae (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) scale insects Aspidoproctus sp. and Collula kiefferi (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) Waxiella mimosae because these tests indi- cated the species had broader host ranges Kenya (from Gagné and Marohasy 1993) than a field survey suggested (unpub- Acacidiplosis imbricata (Dip.: Cecidomylidae)A lished data). Mohyuddin (unpublished) Acacidiplosis spinosa (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae)A made only brief reference to sap-sucking Aposchizomyia acuta (Dip.: Cecidomylidae)A insects in his report and listed no species Lopesia niloticae (Dip.: Cecldomylidae)A of psyllid. Asphondylia sp. (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) Galling insects Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished) Gagné and Marohasy (1993) describe 28 Cydia sp. (Lep.: Tortricidae) species of gall midge from five species of Acacia in Kenya. Most midge species are GREEN SHOOT-BORING INSECTS specific to a single species of Acacia with four species being specific to prickly aca- India cia. Acacidiplosis spinosa Gagné is the most Sinoxylon anale (Col.: Bostrychidae), (Basin and Roonwall 1954, Browne 1968) common and appears the most damaging Sinoxylon sudanicum (Col.: Bostrychidae),(BasinandRoonwall 1954, Browne 1968) species attacking prickly acacia in Kenya (Marohasy 1993). Prickly acacia, like Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished) many leguminous species, produces Anarsia trlaonota (Lep.: Gelechildae)A many more flowers than it has the re- Ascalenia callynella (Lep.: Momphidae)A sources to mature and most of these are Cuphodes profluens (Lep.: Gracillarildae)A shed (Stephenson 1981, Tybirk 1988). In- Gisilia stereodoxa (Lep.: Momphidae) terestingly flowers galled by A. spinosa are not shed but develop into galls which WOOD-BORING INSECTS act as energy sinks, consuming resources which would otherwise be available for India growth and pod maturation. Successful Aeolesthes holosericea (Col.: Cerambycidae), (Stebbing 1914) biocontrol of A. longifolia (Andrews) Coelosterna scabrator (Col.: Cerambycidae), (Bhasin and Roonwall 1954, Beeson 1961) Willdenow has been achieved in South also attacks Eucalyptus (Sivaramakrishnan 1986) Africa using a wasp which galled flowers Psiloptera coerulea (Col.: Buprestidae), (Stebbing 1914) (Dennill 1988). Dennill (1988) reported Psiloptera fastuosa (Col.: Buprestidae), (Stebbing 1914) that the wasp sometimes committed Bifiditermes beesoni (Isop.: Kalotermitidae), (Browne 1968) A. longifolia to the production of 200% Coptotermes heimi (Isop.: Kalotermitidae), (Kayani and Sheikh 1981) more galls per branch than the normal Microtermes umicolor (Isop.: Kalotermitidae), (Kayani and Sheikh 1981) quota of pods and dubbed this phenom- Microcerotermes heimi (Isop.: Kalotermitidae), (Kayani and Sheikh 1981) ena “forced commitment”. However, test- Microcerotermes championi (Isop.: Kaolotermitidae), (Kayani and Sheikh 1981) ing of A. spinosa has not been possible to date because potted specimens of prickly Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished) acacia do not flower (Marohasy 1993) and Sinoxylon cafrum (Col.: Bostrichidae) it therefore can not be cage tested in quar- Derolus sp. (Col.: Cerambycidae) antine. Acacidoplosis imbricata Gagné, which also galls developing flowers, is closely continued on next page/... related to A. spinosa but rarer in Kenya. 28 Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 However, it has a broader distribution, Table 1. continued from previous page being also present in and Zimbabwe on A. nilotica kraussiana ROOT-BORING INSECTS (Bentham) Brenan (personal observa- tions). Another species of midge, India Aposchizomyia acuta, forms a large lumpy Coelostema scabrator (Col.: Cerambycidae), (Browne 1968) also attacks Eucalyptus gall, typically at the stem apex and inhib- (Ralph 1985) its stem elongation. It is known that stem Chrysobothris gardneri (Col.: Buprestidae), (Browne 1968) elongation in prickly acacia occurs imme- Xylocopa fagani (Col.: Melolonthidae), (Clifford 1884) diately before the development of buds and flowers and that buds and flowers are RING-BARKING INSECTS only produced on green extending shoots (Milton 1987). Through the inhibition of India stem elongation this midge effectively Acmaeodera aurifera (Col.: Buprestidae), also attacks Acacia catechu (Browne 1968) stops the production of flowers on af- Psiloptera cupreosplendens (Col.: Buprestidae), (Beeson 1961, Browne 1968) fected stems. Psiloptera fastuosa (Col.: Buprestidae), (Beeson 1961, Browne 1968) Cyrtozemia cognata (Col: Curculionidae) (Browne 1968) Green shoot-boring insects No green shoot-boring species were Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished) found in Kenya (Marohasy unpublished), Niphona fuscatrix (Col.: Cerambycidae) although four species of lepidoptera were Arthrolips sp. (Col.: Corylophidae) recorded by Mohyuddin (unpublished) in Genus and species unknown (Lep.: Gelechidae) Pakistan (Table 1). Two of the four spe- Acrocercops ?diatomiea (Lep.: ) cies, Cuphodes profluens Meyrick and Ascalenia callynella Kasy, were shown to Sudan (from Peake 1954) be host specific (Mohyuddin unpub- Sphenoptera fulgens (syn. Sphenoptora chalolchrw arenosa) (Col.: Buprestidae)A lished). A third species, Anarsia triaenota Agrilus discolorigormis (Col.: Buprestidae) Meyrick, could complete development on the Australian native A. victoriae Bentham FLOWER-FEEDING INSECTS in a cage starvation situation (Mohyuddin unpublished). Only C. profluens was field India (from Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) released in Queensland. It has not estab- ubaldus (Lep.: ) lished (B. Willson personal communica- Azanus uranus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) tion). A. callynella could be considered for introduction in the future. Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished) Anarsia spp. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Lep.: Gelechidae) Wood and stem-boring insects definita (Lep.: Lywaenidae), polyphagous One hundred and twenty trees were Ascalenia spp. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Lep.: Cosmopterygidae) felled and cut into metre long portions in (Lep.: Lycaenidae), also feeds lucerne Kenya in search of wood boring insects Azanus mirza (Lep.: Lycaenidae), also feeds Dichrostachys sp. and Allophylus sp. but only two species were found, both () beetles (Table 1), and these only in small Chbroclystis nanula (Lep.: Geometridae) numbers (Marohasy unpublished data). Chloroclystis consocer (Lep.: Geometridae) Mohyuddin (1986) reported no species Chloroclystis sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) from Pakistan while nine species have Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Lep.: Pyralidae), also feeds on Ceratonia sp. been recorded from India by earlier work- Eublemma ecthaemata (Lep.: Noctuidae) ers. Given the potential of this groups of Eucosma sp.?calculosa (Lep.: Tortricidae) insects to inflict structural damage to Genus and species indeterminate (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) trees, more information should be sought Gisilia stereodoxa (Lep.: Momphidae) on the nine species recorded from India Homodaula calamitosa (Lep.: Yponomeutidae) (Table 1). Hypatima sp. (Lep.: Yponomoutidae) Nanophytes sp. nr. conradsi (Col.: Apionidae) Root-boring insects Nola sp.?imitata (Lep.: Noctuidae) Root-boring insects can be damaging but Nola melalopha (Lep.: Noctuidae) are difficult to rear and test for host Oncocera sp. (Lep.: Pyralidae) specificity. The roots of prickly acacia in Pardasena virgulana (Lep.: Noctuidae), polyphagous Kenya and Pakistan were not searched for Prasinocyma sp. 1 and 2 (Lep. : Geometridae) insects. Coelosterna scabrator is apparently very damaging to prickly acacia planta- Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished) tions in India but is unsuitable because it Anarsia reciproca (Lep.: Gelechiidae), polyphagous also attacks Eucalyptus plantations (Ralph Anarsia sp. (Lep.: Gelechiidae), also feeds A. famesiana 1985). Autoba silicula (Lep.: Noctuidae) Azanus ubaldus (Lep.: Lywaenidae) Ring-barking insects Azanus uranus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) No ring-barking species were found in Ceutholopha isidis (Lep.: Pyralidae), polyphagous Kenya. Mohyuddin (unpublished) lists Comibaena cassidara (Lep.: Geometridae) four species from Pakistan but gives no Cryptophilus integer (Col.: Languriidae) indication of their host plant ranges. Heterographis sp. (Lep.: Pyralidae) Peake (1954) and El Atta (1988) attributed continued on next page/... Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 29 Table 1. continued from previous page die-back in prickly acacia plantations in the Sudan to damage from the buprestid Metisa sp. (Lep.: Psychidae) beetle Sphenoptera fulgens Gory. However, Pseudosterrha paulula (Lep.: Geometridae) other Sudanese foresters consider the bee- Rapala iarbus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) tle to be secondary and not the cause of Scythris glyphidota (Lep.: Scythrididae) the die back (M. Gasim Musa, M. Elfadul and A. El Salam Kahid Abdul El Salam GREEN SEED-FEEDING INSECTS personal communication). Permission was received from the Australian Quar- India antine and Inspection Service (AQIS) to illepida (Lep.: Tortricidae), (Browne 1968) import the beetle into quarantine in Bris- bane directly from the Sudan without Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished) preliminary host testing, however, insuf- Anarsia spp. (Lep.: Gelechiidae) ficient numbers were received to start a Atelocera stictica (Hem.: Pentatomidae), polyphagous colony (B. Willson personal communica- Calidea bohemanni (Hem.: Pentatomidae), polypagous tion). Cryptophlebia ombrodelta (Lep.: Tortricidae), polyphagous Cryptophlebia peltastica (Lep.: Tortricidae) Flower-feeding insects Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Lep.: Tortricidae), polyphagous The flowers of prickly acacia in Kenya Homoeocerus trimaculatus (Hem.: Coreidae) and Pakistan are almost exclusively uti- Naricus cinctiventris (Hem.: Alydidae) lized by species of lepidoptera (Table 1) Risbecoma capensis (Lep.: Eurytomidae), specific to subgenus Acacia with no species specific to pricky acacia (Mohyuddin unpublished, Marohasy and Nigeria (from Roberts 1969) Hongo unpublished). Given that over Characoma nilotica (Lep.: Noctuidae) 99% of the flowers produced by prickly acacia are normally shed (Tybirk 1988), it Sudan (from Peake 1952) is likely an unrealistically large percent- Bruchidius uberatus (syn. Bruchidius baudoni) (Col.: Bruchidae), also feeds on Abutilon age of flowers would need to be de- sp. and Dolichos lablab stroyed for these insects to have any im- pact on seed production (Marohasy 1993). MATURE SEED-FEEDING INSECTS Seed-feeding insects India (from Browne 1968) Bruchidius sahlbergi Schilsky, together Araecerus suturalis (Col.: Anthribidae) with the Australian native weevil Caryedon gonagra (Col.: Bruchidae) Carreydon serratus (Oliv.), destroy a large percentage of prickly acacia seed in Kenya (from Marohasy unpublished) Queensland but appear to be having a Bruchidius grandemaculatus (Col.: Bruchidae), specific to subgenus Acacia limited effect on its spread. A large per- Bruchidius sp. 1 and 2 (Col.: Bruchidae) centage of seed is eaten by stock and re- Bruchidius latevalvus (Col.: Bruchidae) mains viable in cow dung where it is inac- Bruchidius uberatus (Col.: Bruchidae) cessible to these insects as they will only Caryedon serratus (Col.: Bruchidae), polyphagous search for seed in pods under or on trees. Tuberculobruchus sp. (Col.: Bruchidae) In contrast, insects which attack unripe Enaretta castelnaudi (Col.: Cerambycidae), polyphagous green seed may be effective control agents Sibina sp. (Col.: Curcuiionidae) as they can access the seed before it falls Virachola livia (Lep.: Lywaenidae), polypagous to the ground and is fed on by stock. In Characoma ?ferrigrisea (Lep.: Noctuidae) this way they have access to the total re- Cryptoblales gnidiella (Lep.: Pyralidae), polyphagous source and if insect numbers are high Phthoropoea pycnosaris (Lep.: Tineidae), polyphagous could destroy a very large percentage of Phthoropoea oenochares (Lep.: Tineidae) seed (Marohasy 1993). The wasp, Risbecoma capensis (Walker) is the most Pakistan (from Mohyuddin unpublished) promising insect in this category, how- Bruchidius sp. 1, 2 (Col.: Bruchidae)A ever, it may also attack the three native Bruchidius sp. 3 (Col.: Bruchidae) Australian acacias A. bidwilli, A. farnesiana Bruchidius sahlbergi (Col.: Bruchidae)A and A. sutherlandii (Marohasy unpub- Bruchidius andrewesi (Col.: Bruchidae), also feed A. farnesiana lished data) and thus permission for its Caryedon serratus (Col.: Bruchidae), polyphagous field release is unlikely. Lasioderma serricome (Col.: Anobiidae), polyphagous Migneauxia orientalis (Col.: Lathridiidae), polyphagous Conclusion Stathmopoda auriferella (Lep.: Stathmopodiidae) Prickly acacia is known to be attacked by Sulcobruchus sp. (Col.: Bruchidae), also feeds A. farnesiana a great diversity of insect species in the few regions where its insect fauna has Sudan (from Peake 1952) been studied. There are seventeen insect Bruchidius baudoni (Col.: Bruchidae), polyphagous species which are likely to be host specific Bruchus centromaculatus (Col. Bruchidae), also attacks Dichrostachys nutans to prickly acacia in Pakistan and Kenya Bruchus quadrimaculatus (Col.: Bruchidae), specific to alone. However, of these species the po- Bruchus submaculatus (Col.: Bruchidae), also attacks sp. and sp. tentially most damaging insects can not Bruchus theobromae (Col.: Bruchidae) currently be reared because of technical continued on next page/... problems associated with supplying 30 Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 Table 1. continued from previous page Bytinski-Salz, H. (1954). Insects associ- ated with desert acacias in Israel. Bulle- Bruchus albonotatus (Col.: Bruchidae) tin of the Research Council of Israel 4, Bruchus albosparsus (Col.: Bruchidae), also attacks cotton 284-92. Bruchus analis (Col.: Bruchidae) Carter, J.O. and Cowan D.C. (1987). Bruchus bedfordi (Col.: Bruchidae) Management of prickly acacia. Techni- Pachymerus cassiae (Col.: Bruchidae), also attacks , Prosopis and Eucalyptus cal Notes, Queensland Department of Pachymerus longus (Col.: Bruchidae), also attack A. albida Primary Industries, Brisbane. Pachymerus pallidus (Col.: Bruchidae), pest of Cassia Clifford, M.H. (1884). Babul meadows of the Sholapur Districts. Indian Forester South Africa 10, 515-6. Bruchus baudoni (Col.: Bruchidae), (Anonymous 1970) Cullen, J.M. (1992). Prediction and prac- Bruchidius securiger (Col.: Bruchidae), (van Tonder 1981) tice in biological control. Proceedings of Bruchidius uberatus (Col.: Bruchidae), (van Tonder 1981) the First International Weed Control Pygobruchidius latiorithorax (Col.: Bruchidae), (van Tonder 1981) Congress, Melbourne, 17–21 February 1992, ed. R.G. Richardson. pp. 137-40. SEED-FEEDING INSECTS Dennill, G.B. (1988). Why a gall former can be a good biocontrol agent: the gall India (from Bhasin and Roonwall 1954) wasp Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae and Araecerus suturalis (Col.: Anthribidae) the weed Acacia longifolia. Ecological En- Argyroploce illepida (Lep.: Eucosmidae) tomology 13, 1-9. Pachymerus gonagra (Col.: Bruchidae) Dennill, G.B. and Gordon, A.J. (1991). Pyloetis mimosae (Lep.: Lyonetidae) Trichilogaster sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a potential biocontrol Nigeria (from Roberts 1969) agent for the weed Acacia pycnantha Bruchidius uberatus (Col.: Bruchidae) (Fabaceae). Entomophaga 36, 295-301. Caryedon albonotatum (Col.: Bruchidae) El Atta, H.A. (1988). Sphenoptera chalcichroa arenosa Ob. (Col., South Africa (from Anonymous 1970) Buprestidae) associated with the die- Enaretta intermedia (Col.: Cerambycidae) back of Acacia nilotica (l.Willd. ex Del.)

A in the Sudan. Journal of Applied Entomol- Species are specific, or likely to be specific, to prickly acacia. ogy 106, 350-5. Gagné, R.J. and Marohasy. J.J. (1993). The plants of the correct phenological stage. References gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) of More host specific insect species are likely Anonymous (1970). Checklist of insects Acacia spp. (Mimosaceae) in Kenya. to be found in other parts of prickly aca- on forest trees and shrubs in South Af- Insecta Mundi 7, 77-124. cia’s range, in particular in the semi-arid rica. Entomology Memoir (Department Halperin, J. and Sauter, W. (1991). An an- regions of Africa which have not yet been of Agriculture, South Africa) 22, 1-81. notated list with new records of surveyed. Aubreville, A. (1941). Contribution a Lepidoptera associated with forest and In conclusion, there is potential for suc- l’etude des chardons de bois de ornamental trees and shrubs in Israel. cessful biological control of prickly aca- l’Afrique occidentale francaise. Actes et Israel Journal of Entomology 15, 105-147. cia. However, the program presents Comptes Rendus de l’Association Colonies- Hoffmann, J.H. (1990). Interactions be- unique challenges which will only be Sciences 177, 1-31. tween three weevil species in the overcome through a high level of commit- Bhasin, G.D. and Roonwall, M.L. (1954). biocontrol of Sesbania punicea ment to research both in Australia and in A list of insect pests of forest plants in (Fabaceae): the role of simulation mod- some of the logistically most difficult India and the adjacent countries. Part 2. els in evaluation. Agriculture, Ecosys- parts of the world. List of insect pests of plant genera ‘A’. tems and Environment 32, 77-87. Indian Forest Bulletin, Entomology 171, Houard, C. (1923). ‘Les Zoocécidies des Acknowledgments 5-93. Plantes d’Afrique, d’Asie et d’Océanie’. The work in Kenya was jointly funded by Beeson, C.F.C. (1961). ‘The Ecology and Volume II, p. 554. (Librairie Scientifique the Australian Wool Corporation and the control of the forest insects of India and Jules Hermann, Paris). Rural Lands Protection Board, Queens- neighbouring countries’. (Government Julien, M.H. (1992). ‘Biological control of land Department of Lands. In Kenya, I of India, India). weeds: a world catalogue of agents and was based at the Kenya Forestry Research Briese, D. T. (1993). The contribution of their target weeds.’ (CABI, Wallingford, Institute, KEFRI. David Hongo, KEFRI, plant biology and ecology to the bio- United Kingdom). helped with field survey work. Taxono- logical control of weeds. Proceedings II Kayani, S.A., and Sheikh, K.H. (1984). In- mists at the CABI International Institute Tenth Australian and 14th Asian-Pacific ter-relationships of vegetation, soils and of Entomology and British Museum of Weed Conference, September 1993, termites in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Natural History identified the insects col- Brisbane, Australia, ed. J. Swarbrick, Botany 13, 165-88. lected in Kenya. I would like to thank Pe- pp. 10-18. Lentern, J.C. van (1980) Evaluation of ter Jeffery (Queensland Department of Brenan, J.P.M. (1983). ‘Manual on tax- control capabilities of natural enemies: Lands) and Richmond Landcare for pro- onomy of Acacia species’. (Food and does art have to become science? Neth- viding the impetus for the writing of this Agricultural Organization of the erlands Journal of Zoology 30, 369-81. paper and Dane Panetta and Graham United Nations, Rome). Marohasy, J.J. (1993). Constraints to the White (Queensland Department of Browne, F.G. (1968). ‘Pests and diseases introduction of biological control Lands) for many useful comments on a of forest plantation trees. An annotated agents for prickly acacia. Proceedings II draft manuscript. list of the principal species occurring in Tenth Australian and 14th Asian-Pacific the British Commonwealth’. (Clarendon Weed Conference, September 1993, Press, Oxford). Brisbane, ed. J. Swarbrick, pp. 33-8. Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.10(1) 1995 31 Marohasy, J.J. (in press). Biology and Stebbing, E.P. (1914). ‘Indian forest in- host specificity of Weiseana barkeri (Col.: sects of economic importance. Chrysomelidae): a biological control Coleoptera.’ (H.M. Secretary of State agent for Acacia nilotica (Mimosaceae). for India, London). Entomophaga. Stephenson, A.G. (1981). Flower and fruit Milton, S.J. (1987). Phenology of seven abortion: proximate causes and ulti- Acacia species in South Africa. African mate factors. Annual Review of Ecology Journal of Wildlife Research 17, 1-6. and Systematics 12, 253-79. Mohyuddin, A.I. (1980) Phytophages as- Thakur, S.S. (1973). Observations of the sociated with Acacia nilotica in Pakistan mutualism between Acacia arabica and possibilities of their introduction Willd., Camponotus ligniperda Latr. and into Australia. Proceedings of Fifth In- Oxyrhachis tarandus Fabr. Journal of Sci- ternational Symposium on Biological ence and Technology 11, 76-7. Control of Weeds, Brisbane 22–29 July Thornton, I.W.B. (1957). Notes on the 1994, ed. E.S. Del Fosse, pp. 161-6. ecology of the Acacia bagworm, McFadyen, R.E. (1991). Climate model- Auchmophila kordofensis Rebel 1906 ling and the biological control of weeds: (Lepidoptera, Psychidae), in the envi- one view. Plant Protection Quarterly 6, rons of Khartoum. Sudan Notes and 14-15. Records 38, 147-50. Peake, F.G.G. (1954). Notes on die-back Tonder, S.J. van (1985). Annotated in Sunt (Acacia arabica). Sudan Notes and records of southern African Bruchidae Records 35, 90-8. (Coleoptera) associated with acacias, Peake, F.G.G. (1952). A bruchid seed- with a description of new species. borer in Acacia arabica. Bulletin of Ento- Phytophylactica 17, 143-8. mological Research 43, 317-24. Tybirk, K. (1988). Flowering, pollination Ralph, R. (1985). Occurrence of Celosterna and seed production of Acacia nilotica. scabrator var. spinator on Eucalyptus. Nordic Journal of Botany 9, 375-81. Journal of the Bombay Natural History So- White, G.G. and Donnelly G.P. (1993). A ciety 82, 682-3. review of Queensland Department of Roberts, H. (1969). Forest insects of Ni- Lands Research on Biological Control geria with notes on their biology and of Weeds. Proceedings II Tenth Austral- distribution. Institute Paper, Common- ian and 14th Asian-Pacific Weed wealth Forestry Institute, University of Conference, September 1993, Bris- Oxford. bane, Australia, ed. J. Swarbrick, pp. Sivaramakrishnan, V.R. (1986). 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