Biocontrol introduction
Target pest: Coleophora mayrella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) = Coleophora spissicornis, banded clover casebearer
Agent introduced: Perilampus sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
Imported:
1961, 1969
Import source:
Near Freiburg, Germany
Import notes:
Cameron et al. (1989) - Perilampus sp. is a hyperparasitoid which attacks the parasiotids Agathis rufipalpis and Chelonus contractus. It was imported with the 1961 and 1969 shipments of Coleophora deauratella larvae (a host of A. rufipalpis and C. contractus) from near Freiburg, Germany. No information is available on the 1961 importation. It was estimated the 4,500 C. deauratella larvae of the 1969 importation contained about 880 A. rufipalpis and C. contractus, some of which were parasitised by Perilampus sp.
Released:
Cameron et al. (1989) - not released.
General comments:
Taxonomic note (22 September 2025) - Coleophora spissicornis is reported present in New Zealand as the banded clover casebearer by Cameron et al. (1989) and other authors. Baldizzone (1994) synonymised C. spissicornis with C. mayrella and Stubner (2007) treats it as a synonym of C. mayrella in his revision of the C. frischella taxonomic group (though noting some uncertainty about this due to the type specimen of Porrectaria spissicornis being damaged.) Coleophora mayrella, but not C. spissicornis, 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
Baldizzone G (1994). Contribuzioni alla conoscenza dei Coleophoridae. LXXXVII. Coleophoridae nuovi o poco conosciuti dell'Africa settentrionale (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 25(100): 219-257
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.
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
