Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora alcyonipennella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), small clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Chelonus sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) = (may be C. contractus)
Imported:
1961, 1968
Import source:
1961, 1968 Avignon, France via Delémont, Switzerland; 1961 near Freiburg, Germany
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - Chelonus was imported as parasitised Coleophora spp. host larvae; either C. frischella collected from Avignon, France (and reared in Delémont, Switzerland prior to shipment) or C. deauratella from near Freiburg, Germany. In shipments in 1961 it was estimated there were nearly 1,000 Chelonus sp. nr contractus larvae in C. deauratella larvae and another eight to 10 in C. frischella larvae. None emerged before the shipment was destroyed because of an infestation of the mite Pyemotes zwoelferia. A 1968 shipment of C. frischella contained ‘some Cheloninae, but only three females emerged and there is no record of their fate.[NB: there may be some doubt about the identity of the Coleophora species reported in this entry as C. frishcella. Cameron et al. (1989) reported C. frischella and C. spissicornis present in New Zealand, but it is now considered very likely that it is C. alcyonipenella rather than C. frischella present in New Zealand - see Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) entry below in 'General comments' section. Coleophora spissicornis has subsequently been synonymised with C. mayrella - see the introduction entries for the agents imported against C. mayrella for details.]
Released:
Cameron et al. (1989) - not released.
General comments:
Cameron et al. (1989) - Chelonus was imported under the names Chelonus sp. and Chelonus contractus [see database entry under this name], but it is probable these are the same species. Chelonus sp. in Europe is most numerous in the host Coleophora deauratella. A Chelonus sp. common in C. spissicornis [= C. mayrella] has identical larvae but no adults have been obtained, so verification of the identity has not been possible. However, adults identical to those obtained from C. deauratella were obtained from C. frischella (in which it occurs only rarely).
Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) - Coleophora frischella has been reported present in New Zealand as the white-tipped clover casebearer by Cameron et al. (1989) and many other authors. However, it is very likely that the species reported from New Zealand as C. frischella is, in fact, C. alcyonipennella. Dugdale (1988) does not report C. frischella from New Zealand. He notes that the name frischella has been used for Coleophora specimens here, but he regards these as misidentifications of C. trifolii, and regards Coleophora alcyonipennella as a synonym of C. trifolii. However, Stubner (2007), in his revision of the C. frischella taxonomic group, considered C. frischella, C. alcyonipennella and C. trifolii all to be valid names (i.e. valid, separate species). Coleophora alcyonipennella, but not C. frischella or C. trifolii, is reported to be present in New Zealand by Biota of New Zealand (Landcare Research Biota of NZ - accessed 22 September 2025) and the New Zealand Arthropod Collection (Landcare Research SCNZ - accessed 22 September 2025).
References
Cameron PJ, Hill RL, Bain J, Thomas WP (1989). A Review of Biological Control of Invertebrate Pests and Weeds in New Zealand 1874-1987. Technical Communication No 10. CAB International Institute of Biological Control. DSIR Entomology Division. 424p.
Dugdale JS (1988). Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa. Fauna of New Zealand, 14 https://doi.org/10.7931/J2/FNZ.14
Landcare Research Biota of NZ (). Biota of New Zealand. Landcare Research website https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz
Landcare Research SCNZ (). New Zealand Arthropod Collection: Systematics Collections Data. Landcare Research website https://scd.landcareresearch.co.nz/
Stubner A (2007). Taxonomic revision of the Coleophora frischella species group (Coleophoridae). Nota Lepidopterologica 30 (1): 121-172 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bc78/ab9b0a5889d02036f0d79ac1b4ce6f334582.pdf
