Classical Biological Control of Arthropods in Australia
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Classical Biological Contents Control of Arthropods Arthropod index in Australia General index List of targets D.F. Waterhouse D.P.A. Sands CSIRo Entomology Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Canberra 2001 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index List of targets The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its primary mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australian and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has special competence. Where trade names are used this constitutes neither endorsement of nor discrimination against any product by the Centre. ACIAR MONOGRAPH SERIES This peer-reviewed series contains the results of original research supported by ACIAR, or material deemed relevant to ACIAR’s research objectives. The series is distributed internationally, with an emphasis on the Third World. © Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, GPO Box 1571, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Waterhouse, D.F. and Sands, D.P.A. 2001. Classical biological control of arthropods in Australia. ACIAR Monograph No. 77, 560 pages. ISBN 0 642 45709 3 (print) ISBN 0 642 45710 7 (electronic) Published in association with CSIRO Entomology (Canberra) and CSIRO Publishing (Melbourne) Scientific editing by Dr Mary Webb, Arawang Editorial, Canberra Design and typesetting by ClarusDesign, Canberra Printed by Brown Prior Anderson, Melbourne Cover: An ichneumonid parasitoid Megarhyssa nortoni ovipositing on a larva of sirex wood wasp, Sirex noctilio. Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index Foreword List of targets WHEN THE CSIR Division of Economic Entomology, now Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Entomology, was established in 1928, classical biological control was given as one of its core activities. This was indicative of the emphasis to be placed on biological control in Australia for the foreseeable future and was logical when one considers the potential targets for this approach amongst the many exotic pests of the introduced plants on which Australia still depends almost entirely for its agricultural productivity. Biological control has continued as a mainstay of pest management to the present time, with an impressive number of successes over the years. The first comprehensive review of biological control projects in Australia (which also included those in Papua New Guinea) was that of Wilson (1960). This covered attempts against 53 arthropod pests or groups of pests and 12 weeds. There followed coverage of the world scene by Clausen (1978a), which added brief accounts on Australian projects. Worldwide projects on weeds have been regularly summarised in an abbreviated form by M.H. Julien (Julien and Griffiths 1999) but a comprehensive account of the entire range of arthropod projects in Australia up to the present time, now totalling 98 arthropod pests or groups of pests, has been sorely needed for some time. The authors are to be congratulated on their dedication and persistence in amassing the extensive and scattered information required for the task. Congratulations are also due to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the publisher of this book. This project further extends our close collaboration on biological control activities in the oceanic Pacific and Southeast Asia. ACIAR has already published an impressive number of volumes relevant to the development of significant programs (Li Li-ying et al. 1997; Waterhouse 1993a,b, 1994, 1997, 1998; Waterhouse and Norris 1987, 1989; Waterhouse et al. 1999; Klein Koch and Waterhouse 2001; Morris and Waterhouse 2001). One spectacular success has been the effective control of a serious defoliator, the 3 Back Forward Contents CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ARTHROPODS IN AUSTRALIA Arthropod index banana skipper in Papua New Guinea. This has, so far, halted its spread to General index Australia, with an extraordinarily high estimated benefit–cost ratio of 607:1. This is an excellent example of ACIAR’s policy of taking pre- List of targets emptive action to help an overseas country and, at the same time, Australia, by dealing with a threat to Australian agriculture before it reaches our shores. Classical biological control has the capacity to yield extensive and enduring returns in pest management, though success is not always guaranteed. In their brief overview, the authors estimate an overall success rate of about two-thirds for all projects. This in itself represents a remarkable return on the scientific investment made. I warmly commend this volume not only for the wealth of information it contains, but also as an invaluable record of what can and has been achieved by this approach and as an indication of the opportunities that still exist to extend and improve the approach further for Australia’s benefit. Jim Cullen Chief, Division of Entomology CSIRO, Canberra 4 Back Forward Arthropod index General index List of targets Contents Foreword 3 A Tribute 7 Abstract 8 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 11 List of targets 17 List of tables 20 Arthropod pests and natural enemies released 25 Details of biological control projects 99 Overview 437 References 441 Arthropod index 503 General index 546 5 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index List of targets 6 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index A Tribute List of targets IN HIS retirement from 1981 to 2000, the late Dr Doug Waterhouse authored or co-authored 12 books on the biological control, distribution and importance of pests and weeds. These publications are of immense importance and relevance to the objectives of both CSIRO Entomology and ACIAR as they promote the economic, social and environmental benefits to be had with appropriate management of insects. His texts have drawn together relevant information available from as many sources as possible, enabling students and research workers to locate easily, most or all of the information on pests and weeds of Pacific and Southeast Asian countries. The books are essential for planning future biological control projects in the region. This most recent book by Dr Waterhouse, Classical Biological Control of Arthropods in Australia co-authored with Dr Sands, is the last in the series on regional biological control programs. It covers the history until 1999, of arthropod biological control introductions into Australia, and updates information on biological control projects carried out since the publication by Wilson (1960). Entomologists, including the scientists affiliated with CSIRO Entomology, are deeply indebted to Dr Waterhouse for the contributions he has made in all the books published after his retirement. They will be referred to for years to come, guiding new initiatives and recording part of the history of safely and successfully controlling pests and weeds, by classical biological control in Australia and the neighbouring developing nations. R.J. Clements Director, ACIAR 7 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index Abstract List of targets AN ACCOUNT is provided of attempts at biological control of arthropod pests in Australia. Ninety-eight pests or groups of pests have been involved, totalling some 150 species, most of which are exotic. Some 70 were targetted in specific projects. The pests are listed alphabetically under Collembola (1), Hemiptera (56), Thysanoptera (1), Orthoptera (2), Coleoptera (9), Diptera (7), Lepidoptera (13), Hymenoptera (4), Acari (4) and Diplopoda (1). In addition to a summary table of results, a short dossier on each pest species or group provides (a) a precis of the outcomes, together with basic data on biology and pest status, (b) information on native natural enemies and (c) an account of the attempt(s) at biological control and the biology of the most important natural enemies. Without recent evaluations it is often not possible to assess accurately the level of successful control, but a general overview indicates that about 30 of the target pests are very well controlled and a further 20 are no longer important pests, indicating an overall success rate for target pests of about two-thirds. With the exception of the dung-breeding bush fly, native pests have not proved susceptible to classical biological control. 8 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index Acknowledgments List of targets MANY COLLEAGUES within CSIRO Entomology, State Departments of Agriculture and universities have provided valuable information and comment, often providing more accurate and up-to-date accounts of the various projects than is available from publications. Although it is not possible to acknowledge all of the many individuals involved, very special thanks are due to Dr M. Carver for much unpublished information on the aphid pests listed. Mr D. Smith of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI), Nambour, Queensland provided most valuable information on scales and mealybugs. Mr J. Feehan supplied unpublished information on the distribution and impact of dung beetles and this was supplemented by Drs M. Tyndale-Biscoe, T.J. Ridsdill-Smith and J.N. Mathiessen. Others in CSIRO Entomology include Drs G.H. Baker, J. Daly, P. Greenslade, B.H. Halliday, G.A. Macqueen, W. Milne, R.J. Milner, L.A. Mound, K.R. Norris, J.L. Readshaw, J.P. Spradbery, R.W. Sutherst and K.G. Wardhaugh. Valuable inputs were also provided by Queensland G.K.