Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora alcyonipennella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), small clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Diadegma sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Imported:
1955
Import source:
Near Montmédy, France
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - eight individuals of Diadegma sp. were reared from 5,000 encased Coleophora trifolii imported from near Montmédy, France in 1955. Nothing is known of the biology of this species and they were destroyed after attempts to have them parasitise New Zealand Coleophora spp. failed. [Cameron et al. (1989) reported the New Zealand pest species of Coleophora, targeted by biocontrol programmes, as C. frischella and C. spissicornis. However, 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 - and 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:
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
