forest health news No. 168, November/December 2006 ISSN 1175-9755

UPDATE — LACINIELLA — A Acrocercops laciniella (), the blackbutt leaf miner, is an Australian species that was first found in New Zealand in 1999 near Auckland International Airport. It spread rapidly throughout the North Island and was detected in the South Island in 2004. It has subsequently been found in Marlborough (2005) and the Marlborough Sounds (2006). In Australia A. laciniella is widespread from southern to and periodically causes severe damage to in coastal . Both mature and coppice foliage is damaged. In Tasmania it is common on the juvenile foliage of E. nitens, E. globulus, E. regnans, and E. obliqua. For further information and references, see Forest Health News 83. Prior to 1999 there were 12 species of Acrocercops known from New Zealand; 10 native species that mine the leaves of native hosts, and two other Australian species — A. alysidota (mines the Above: Acrocercops laciniella larva visible under the mine. Below: A. laciniella larva with top of the mine removed. phyllodes of Acacia) and A. eumetallica (lives in galls on Acacia). Perhaps two of the best known of the native species are A. leucocyma, the kauri leaf miner, and A. zorionella, the Coprosma leaf miner. Acrocercops laciniella has been recorded from more than 60 species of Eucalyptus in New Zealand and records in the Ensis Forest Health Database show that it is most common on Eucalyptus botryoides, E. fastigata, E. ficifolia, E. globulus, E. leucoxylon, E. nicholii, E. nitens, E. pilularis, E. saligna, and E. sideroxylon. There are also records from Angophora spp. and Lophostemon confertus. Between 2004 and 2006 Dean Satchell undertook an assessment of damage caused by A. laciniella to various species of Eucalyptus in Northland. The main species examined were Eucalyptus pilularis, E. muelleriana, E. globoidea, E. agglomerata, and

Average levels of damage to leaves caused by A. laciniella over time

Newsletter of the Ensis Forest Biosecurity and Protection Unit, and the Forest Health Reference Laboratory (incorporating the Forest Research Mycological Herbarium (NZFRI-M), the Forest Research Culture Collection (NZFS), and the National Forest Collection (FRNZ). Edited by John Bain, New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua. Web site < http://www.ensisjv.com/biosecurity > Forest Health News 168, November/December 2006

E. microcorys. Northland’s warm climate has proved to be ideal severely damaged but, as with the other species, levels of damage for these species and they are a good option for the sustainable declined over the period of the study. It is not unusual for newly production of naturally durable hardwoods because of their introduced to reach very high numbers within a few years excellent timber qualities, good growth, and form. of establishment only to have numbers drop and stabilise later on. It is too early to say if this is what is going on with A. laciniella The object of the study was not to correlate damage levels to tree populations in Northland; we would like to think so but only time productivity but to evaluate levels of damage for a range of species, will tell. and to monitor changes in levels of damage over a period of time. To link productivity with damage levels will require a far more For further information see: sophisticated trial. http://www.nzffa.org.nz/Eucalypt_pest_control/acrocercops/ All the species in the study sustained high levels of damage except report_acrocercops.html E. microcorys. Eucalyptus pilularis was consistently the most Dean Satchell (NZ Farm Forestry Association) & John Bain

NEW RECORDS

New distribution record for New Zealand – Fungus: Rosenscheldiella New distribution record for New Zealand – Insect: Parasaissetia nigra styracis; Region: Auckland; Host: Olearia traversii; Coll: J Goodenough (Coccidae); Region: Hawke’s Bay; Host: Corokia sp.; Coll: and C Scott, 31/10/2006; Ident: T Ramsfield, 01/11/2006; Comments: J Goodenough and C Scott, 16/11/2006; Ident: R Henderson, 28/11/2006; This species has previously been recorded from Waikato, Taupo, and Comments: This cosmopolitan scale insect was first reported from New Nelson. Recorded hosts are Olearia traversii and O. virgata. Zealand in 1879. It is sporadically distributed throughout the North and New distribution record for New Zealand – Fungus: Aecidium South Islands. It is not considered to be a serious pest here. Overseas it disciforme; Region: Southland; Host: Hebe elliptica; Coll: R Thum, has a huge host range and in New Zealand has been recorded from Citrus, 31/10/2006; Ident: T Ramsfield, 01/11/2006; Comments: This rust has Chrysanthemoides, Daphne, Feijoa, Ilex, Iris, Pittosporum, and Prunus. been recorded from several species of Hebe in Auckland, Coromandel, Overseas it is mainly a pest of ornamentals and except in warmer countries Rangitikei, Marlborough, Buller, Westland, and mid Canterbury. it is normally found in glasshouses. New distribution record for New Zealand – Fungus: Melampsora ricini; New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Ceroplastes sinensis Region: Wanganui; Host: Ricinus communis; Coll: B Rogan, 01/12/2006; (Coccidae); Region: Bay of Plenty; Host: Ficus benjamina; Coll: Ident: J Gardner, 08/12/2006; Comments: This rust fungus was first found J Goodenough and C Scott, 26/10/2006; Ident: D Jones, 01/11/2006; in New Zealand in 1999 and has previously been recorded from Northland, Comments: This introduced scale insect is found in most regions in the Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay. northern half of the North Island. It has quite a wide host range that includes both native and exotic plants. New distribution record for New Zealand – Fungus: Pestalotiopsis antenniformis; Region: Chatham Island; Host: Myrsine chathamica; Coll: New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Parlatoria pittospori D Brunt, 28/11/2006; Ident: J Gardner, 21/12/2006; Comments: This (Diaspididae); Region: Wanganui; Host: Pinus mugo; Coll: R Baigent, fungus was described from New Zealand in 1927 from collections made 06/11/2006; Ident: D Jones, 07/11/2006; Comments: This Australian from Rubus cissoides and R. australis in the Nelson region. There have species was first found in New Zealand in 1921. It has quite a wide host been no further records of the fungus since that time. It was reported as range. It has previously been recorded from Northland, Auckland, Bay of occurring on cankers on living stems and on dead leaves of R. cissoides Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, Kaikoura, North Canterbury, and on leaf spots on living leaves of R. australis. Leaves in the collection and mid Canterbury. from Chatham Is. had large lesions that were spreading from the leaf apex. New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Lindingaspis rossi The fungus was sporulating abundantly on the dead leaf tissue, including (Diaspididae); Region: Nelson; Host: Pinus mugo; Coll: R Baigent, that close to the boundary with healthy tissue. It was consistently isolated 16/11/2006; Ident: D Jones, 17/11/2006; Comments: This scale insect, from live-dead margins on the leaves. The collector reported that the leaf which is probably native to Australia, is sub-cosmopolitan in the tropics lesions were widespread on M. chathamica but were of low severity. and sub-tropics. It was first found in New Zealand in 1895 and has been New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Aecidium disciforme; recorded from a wide range of exotic and native plants here. Region: Southland; Host: Hebe elliptica; Coll: R Thum, 31/10/2006; New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Parasaissetia nigra Ident: T Ramsfield, 01/11/2006; Comments: See above. (Coccidae); Region: Hawke’s Bay; Host: Corokia sp.; Coll: New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Aecidium myopori; Region: J Goodenough and C Scott, 16/11/2006; Ident: R Henderson, 28/11/2006; Nelson; Host: Myoporum insulare; Coll: R Baigent, 16/11/2006; Ident: Comments: This cosmopolitan scale insect was first reported from New M Dick, 17/11/2006; Comments: This indigenous rust fungus is common Zealand in 1879. It is sporadically distributed throughout the North and on Myoporum laetum. This record is from the very similar Myoporum South Islands. It is not considered to be a serious pest here. Overseas it insulare, which is of Australian origin but is fully naturalised here. has a huge host range and in New Zealand has been recorded from Citrus, Chrysanthemoides, Daphne, Feijoa, Ilex, Iris, Pittosporum, and Prunus. New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Hysterographium fraxini; Overseas it is mainly a pest of ornamentals and except in warmer countries Region: South Canterbury; Host: Catalpa bignonioides; Coll: B Doherty, it is normally found in glasshouses. 16/11/2006; Ident: M Dick, 22/11/2006; Comments: This fungus is found on a wide range of hosts overseas, and in New Zealand has been recorded New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Pseudaulacaspis eugeniae from Fraxinus angustifolia, F. excelsior, F. ornus, and Fraxinus sp. (Diaspididae); Region: Gisborne; Host: Metrosideros kermadecensis; Coll: J Goodenough and C Scott, 16/11/2006; Ident: R Henderson, New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Seiridium cardinale; 28/11/2006; Comments: The first record of this Australian species in Region: South Canterbury; Host: Platycladus orientalis; Coll: B Doherty, New Zealand was 1922. It is a polyphagous species found mainly in the 16/11/2006; Ident: M Dick, 22/11/2006; Comments: This fungus is found North Island but there is one record of it from Invercargill. This is the first on a wide range of exotic cypresses throughout New Zealand. record of it from a species of Metrosideros. New host record for New Zealand – Fungus: Pestalotiopsis New host record for New Zealand – Insect: Oemona hirta antenniformis; Region: Chatham Island; Host: Myrsine chathamica; Coll: (Cerambycidae); Region: Hawke’s Bay; Host: Betula nigra; Coll: D Brunt, 28/11/2006; Ident: J Gardner, 21/12/2006; Comments: See B Rogan, 06/12/2006; Ident: D Jones, 07/12/2006; Comments: This above. native species has a huge host range. New distribution record for New Zealand – Insect: Parlatoria pittospori John Bain (Diaspididae); Region: Wanganui; Host: Pinus mugo; Coll: R Baigent, 6/11/2006; Ident: D Jones, 07/11/2006; Comments: This Australian species was first found in New Zealand in 1921. It has quite a wide host range. Previous records on Pinus in New Zealand are from Pinus contorta and P. radiata. 2 Printed by Scion Digital Print Centre, Rotorua (07-343-5711)