Stantonia pallida (Ashmead) sensu Braet and Quicke (2004) is reported from Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a classical biological control agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Br. (Polypodiales: Lygodiaceae) in Florida. It is the first reported parasitoid of N. conspurcatalis. One undetermined species each of Cotesia Cameron, Glyptapanteles Ashmead, and Rhygoplitis Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are likely parasitoids of N. conspurcatalis but need to be confirmed through rearing from host larvae isolated individually. The use of S. pallida, under the name Stantonia lamprosemae Muesebeck, for control of Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus) and Diaphania nitidalis (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Florida is reviewed and used to illustrate the importance of systematics and natural history collections to classical biological control. The potential effects of these parasitoids on control of L. microphyllum in Florida are discussed.
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1 January 2010
Stantonia pallida (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared from Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a Classical Biological Control Agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Br. (Polypodiales: Lygodiaceae)
Robert R. Kula,
Anthony J. Boughton,
Robert W. Pemberton
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Cotesia
Glyptapanteles
host record
invasive species
melonworm
Microgastrinae
nontarget effects