Planl Proleclion Quarterly VOI.4(4) 1989 139 new species (:) Larvae of this moth feed on the achenes Research Reports (seeds) in Ihe Oowerheads. The developing achenes of several flower heads will be con­ sumed in the course of development of a single larva. The larvae pupate in situ. The moth was present in large numbers wherever there was a local abundance of S. madagas­ A survey of Fireweed (Senecio fTuuiagascariensis Poir) and cariensis in south east Madagascar. The spe­ cies was also present in the western zone. its natural enemies in Madagascar with a view to biologi­ S. madagascariensis is the only known host cal control in Australia for this undescribed species of Pyralid. Little is known of the biology of other species in this genus. Only two records could be found: lar­ JJ. Marobasy (nee Turnour) Queensland Department of Lands, c/o The Kenya vae of Phycitodes binaevella (Hubner) have Forestry Research Institute, P.O. Box 20412, Nairobi, Kenya. been recorded atlacking the flower heads of Cirsiwn vulgare, Asteraceae, in Holland Summary (Klinkhammer et ai. 1988), and larvae of an men! the climate is hot and wet (Paulian undetermined species of Phycitodes were A preliminary survey of fircweed (Senecio 1984) with a mean annual rainfall in excess of recorded attacking the flower heads of Ptilos­ nuuiagascariensis Pair) and its fauna 1,500 mm and no dry months. In contrast, lemon gnaphaloides, also Asteraceae, in was made in Madagascar with a view to pos­ the zone west of the escarpment is hot but Crete (Neuenschwander 1984). sible biological control of the weed in Austra­ semi-arid, with a mean annual rainfall of less lia. Fireweed was found to be limited in its Ihan 600 mm (Paulian 1984). Rainfall is very Lobesia new species distribution to two climatically different re­ irregular in this western zone and long peri­ (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae) gions in Madagascar; the wet tropical south ods of drought are nOl uncommon. Larvae of this moth bore within the stem and east and the semi-arid south and south west Fireweed is not a common or weedy spe­ root and pupate in situ. Withering of the of the island. Numerous were found cies in Madagascar and its life cycle differs in leaves and green stem above the point of at­ feeding on fircwced of which a stem borer each climaticzonc. In the wetter south east it tack is common with, in some instances, com­ Lobesin new sp. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), behaves as a winter flowering perennial. Iso­ plele dealh of the infesled plant. The spccies and a seed-head borer, Phycitoties new sp. lated plants and occasional small populations was found in both the eastern and western (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), arc potential bio­ can be found where the soil has been recently zone. logical control agents. disturbed and in particular where the soil is S. madagascariensis, and a different un­ periooically disturbed, e.g. areas bordering identified species of Senecio found growing Introduction cultivation and along roads and tracks. It on the sand dunes in south eastern Madagas­ Fireweed, Senecio madagascariensis Poir appears to favour sandy situations though car, are the only known hosts for this unde­ (Asteraceae), is a major weed of improved plants have been found growing in a variety scribed species of Tortricid. Other species in pastures in coastal New South Wales (Sindel of soil types. this genus have been recorded from plant and Michael 1988) and soulb easlern In the harsher environment of the semi­ Queensland (Armstrong 1988 pcrs. comm.). arid south and south west, fireweed behaves In bad years it may result in over 10% reduc­ as a short-lived annual. Isolated populations tion in pasture productivity (Sindel and appear only after rain and only in recently Michael 1988) as well as being associated disturbed sandy situations. It is then quickly with poisoning and poor stock growth replaced by secondary colonizers and may (Walker and Kirkland 1981). There is no not appear again in a particular area for single besl cOnlrol method; herbicides, slash­ many years. This suggests that [ireweed seed ing and hand weeding give some immediate may lay dormant in soil for considerable peri­ relief while the establishment of competitive ods of time and still be viable whcn environ­ pastures offers longer term control (Sindel mental conditions are favourablc for germi- and Michael 1988). nation. Fireweed is native to Madagascar and soulhern Africa (Michael 1981). Biologica l Possible biological control agents Eastern Zone rainfall 1.500 - 2.000mm p.a. contrOl, using insects and plant diseases from Table 1 lists the insects found feeding on these countries, offers the possibility of long fireweed in Madagascar, with notes on their term sustainable control. biologies where known. Some of the insect species would not be suitable biological con­ Occurrence and distribution in trol agents as they are known to be capable of Madagascar feeding on other plant genera. The host In Madagascar, fireweed is not found over range of many of the species is not known. --.-~~~-.----+ Tropic of Capricorn-- the entire island as suggested in Sindel Two species which appeared damaging in the (1986).11 is restricted in its distribution to the field and which are likely to be sufficiently low altitude south and south west of the is­ specific for biological control are a seed-head land, between Ihe latitudes 0[21" 31' and 25" borer, Phycilodes new species (Lepidoptera: 'p""",mem, fault 3 I' (Figure 1). This region includes Iwo very Pyralidae), and a stem borer, Lobesia new different climatic zones separated by a plu ­ species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). However Figure 1. Distribution of firewced, viometric fault line at the Anosy escarpment detailed host specificity testing would be nec­ Senecio madagascariensis, in (Donque 1972). To the easl of the escarp- essary to confirm their suitability. Madagascar 140 Planl Prolcclion Duanerly VOI.4(4) 1989 Table 1. Natural enemies or lircwccd, Senecio madngascariensis, in Madagascar. Shaffer, U.R. TUCk , D.A. Brown and N.R. DOlling from the British Museum of Natural ORDER SPECIES NATURE HOST RANGE History, London. and FAMILY OFAITACK Rererences LEPIDOPTERA Dongue, G. ( 1972). The ClimalOlogy of Noctuidae Tlly~;an opltlsi(l larvae leaf feeding polyphagous peSI Madagascar. In "Biogeography and Ecol­ oric/w/cen species ogy of Madagascar' cd. G. Richard­ (FabriCius) Vindard and Battistini, (Dr W. Junk B.Y., Condica condllcla larvae leaf feeding general Composilae The Hague). (Walkcr) feeder Evans D. E. (1970.) The parasiles of Ihree Geomclridae genus and species larvae lea f feeding hosl range unknown Kenya coffee tortricids (Archips occiden­ indetermined lalis (Wlsm), Torlrix dinola Meyr. and Pyralidae Phycilodes new larvae feed in seed host range unknown Lobesia ae% po Meyr. (Lepidoplera: species heads likely to be specific Tonricidae)]. I. of Enlom%gica/ Sociery Tortricidae Lobesia new species larvae feed internally host range unknown of SOlllhern Africa 33 (2), 349-350. in stem and root likely 10 be specific Golutvina, L.S. (1973.) Newand lillie-known D1PTERA pests of the family Tortricidae, damaging Tepbrilidae Sphenella marginata fly maggOis feed in cosmopolitan the reproductive organs of Larix sibirica. (Linnaeus) nower head species, present in Nauchnye Trudy, Leningradskaya Le­ Australia sotekhnicheskayaAkademiya 155, 11-14. Agromyzidae LiriomYZll tri/alii larvae leaf mining polyphagous pesl K1inkbamer, P.G.L., Dejong, l'J., and Meij­ (Burgess) specics den van der, E., (1988) Produclion, disper­ HOMOPTERA sal and predation of seeds in the biennial Pseudococcidae TylocoCCllS phloem feeding host range unknown . Journal of EcoLogy 76, ?harongae Marnel 403-414. Aphididae Aphis gossypii phloem feeding polyphagous pest Marcelin, H. (1985). Conlrol of grape lonri­ Glover species cids. Phylomn 1985 (No. 370), 29-32. HETEROPTERA Michael, P.W. (1981). Alien P lanls. In 'Aus­ Rhopalidac Stictopleums phloem feed ing host range unknown tralian Vegetation", cd. R.H. Groves, scutellaris (Cambridge Universily Press: Cam­ coquerel/i bridge). (Signorel) Neuenschwander, P. (1984). Ohservalions Lygaeidae Nysius albipennis feeds aI seed-head hosl ran ge unknown on the biology of two species of fruit flies Distant and their competition with a moth larva. Lygaeidae NysillS ericoe feeds al seed-head host range unknown Israe/ J. EnlI8, 95-97. (Schiling) Paulian, R . (1984). Madagascar: A micro­ COLEOPTERA continent between Africa and Asia. In Curculionidae ?Throgonius new adults at flowers, larvae probably "Madagascar" ed. A. Jolly, P. Oberle and species larval hosl(s) unknown polyphagous R. Albignac, (Pergamon Press, Oxrord). Schroeder, D. (1981). SlUdy, colleclion and THYSANOPTERA screening of Lobesia (Polychrosis) euphor­ Phlaeolhripidae Hap/otllrips feeds within seed head host range unknown biana for biological control of leafy spurge. nigricomis (Bagnall) Trinidad and Tobago, Commonweallb !n­ slilule of Biological Conlrol: Repon of work carried oul April 1980 - March 1981. species in several different families in differ­ Acknowledgements Sindel, B.M. (1986). The Ecology and Con­ ent pans of Ihe Old World. The genus in­ 1 would like to thank Dr Peter Michael for­ trol of Fireweed (Senecio madagascarien­ cludes Ihe peSI species L bOlrano (Marcelin merly of Ihe School of Crop SCiences, Uni­ sis Poir.). Plant Protection Quanerly 1, 1985), L reliqllana (Golulvina 1973), and versily of Sydney, and Dr Charles Jeffrey of 163-73. L aeolopo (Evans 1970), which appear spe­ the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for identi­ Sindel, B.M. and Michael, P.W. (1988). Sur­ cific to their particular host plants and are fication of herbarium specimens. I would vey of the impact and control of Fireweed damaging. The species L. euphorbiana was also like 10 Ihank the following laxonomisls (Senecio madagascariensis Pair.) in New recommended for introduction into Canada for identification of the insects and their Soutb Wales. Plant Proteclion Qllanerly 3, and North America for the biological control comments on particular species' host ranges; 22-8. of leaf spurge, afler screening by Ihe CAB In­ Drs J.D. Holloway, I.M. While, OJ. Wil­ Walker, K.H. and Kirkland, P.O. (1981 ) S1ilule of Biological Conlrol's European Sta­ liams, G.H. SlOnedahl, M.L. Cox and GJ. du Senecio lmuus toxicity in cattle. Australian tion showed that the species was specific to Hcaume from the CAB International Insti­ Veterinwy Journa157, 1-7. Euphorbia cyparissias and E. Lucida lule of Enlomology, London, and Drs M. (Schroder 198 1).