| Alligator weed beetle |
(Agasicles hygrophila) |
Foliage feeder, common, often provides excellent control on static water bodies. |
| Alligator weed beetle |
(Disonycha argentinensis) |
Foliage feeder, released widely in the early 1980s, failed to establish. |
| Alligator weed moth |
Arcola malloi) |
Foliage feeder, common in some areas, can provide excellent control on static water bodies. |
| Blackberry rust |
(Phragmidium violaceum) |
Leaf rust fungus, self-introduced, common in areas where susceptible plants occur, can be damaging but many plants are resistant. |
| Boneseed leaf roller |
(Tortrix s.l. sp. “chrysanthemoides”) |
Foliage feeder, first released in 2007, establishment confirmed at some North Island sites but no significant damage seen yet. Appears to be limited by predation and parasitism. |
| Bridal creeper rust |
(Puccinia myrsiphylli) |
Rust fungus, self-introduced, first noticed in 2005, widespread, appears to be causing severe damage at many sites. |
| Broom gall mite |
(Aceria genistae) |
Gall former, first released at limited sites in late 2007, establishing well and severe damage to plants already seen at some sites, widespread releases are continuing. |
| Broom leaf beetle |
(Gonioctena olivacea) |
Foliage feeder, first released in 2006/07 and establishment appears likely at a few sites so so far. Widespread releases are continuing. |
| Broom psyllid |
(Arytainilla spartiophila) |
Sap sucker, becoming common, some damaging outbreaks seen so far but may be limited by predation, impact unknown. |
| Broom seed beetle |
(Bruchidius villosus) |
Seed feeder, becoming common, spreading well, showing potential to destroy many seeds. |
| Broom shoot moth |
(Agonopterix assimilella) |
Foliage feeder, first released early in 2008, limited releases made so far and establishment success not yet known. |
| Broom twig miner |
(Leucoptera spartifoliella) |
Stem miner, self-introduced, common, often causes obvious damage. |
| Buddleia leaf weevil |
(Cleopus japonicus) |
Foliage feeder, first released in 2006, heavily defoliating plants at some sites. |
| Californian thistle flea beetle |
(Altica carduorum) |
Foliage feeder, released widely during the early 1990s, not thought to have established. |
| Californian thistle gall fly |
(Urophora cardui) |
Gall former, rare, galls tend to be eaten by sheep, impact unknown. |
| Californian thistle leaf beetle |
(Lema cyanella) |
Foliage feeder, only established at one site near Auckland where it is causing obvious damage. Further releases may be made from this site. |
| Californian thistle rust |
(Puccinia punctiformis) |
Systemic rust fungus, self-introduced, common, damage not usually widespread. |
| Californian thistle stem miner |
(Ceratapion onopordi) |
Stem miner, attacks a range of thistles, first released early in 2009, limited releases made so far and establishment success not yet known. Difficult to rear, releases will continue as available. |
| Green thistle beetle |
(Cassida rubiginosa) |
Foliage feeder, attacks a range of thistles, widespread releases began in 2007/08 and are continuing, establishment is looking promising at most sites and obvious damage seen at some sites already. |
| Chilean needle grass rust |
(Uromyces pencanus) |
Rust fungus, permission to release granted in 2011 and it is hoped releases can begin in autumn 2013. Only South Island populations are likely to be susceptible. |
| Gorse colonial hard shoot moth |
(Pempelia genistella) |
Foliage feeder, limited releases to date, established only in Canterbury, impact unknown but obvious damage seen at several sites. |
| Gorse hard shoot moth |
(Scythris grandipennis) |
Foliage feeder, failed to establish from small number released at one site, no further releases planned due to rearing difficulties. |
| Gorse pod moth |
Cydia succedana) |
Seed feeder, becoming common, spreading well, can destroy many seeds in spring but is not so effective in autumn and not well synchonised with gorse-flowering in some areas. |
| Gorse seed weevil |
(Exapion ulicis) |
Seed feeder, common, destroys many seeds in spring. |
| Gorse soft shoot moth |
(Agonopterix umbellana) |
Foliage feeder, becoming common in Marlborough and Canterbury with some impressive outbreaks, establishment success in the North Island poor to date, impact unknown. |
| Gorse spider mite |
(Tetranychus lintearius) |
Sap sucker, common, often causes obvious damage, but persistent damage limited by predation. |
| Gorse stem miner |
(Anisoplaca pytoptera) |
Stem miner, native insect, common in the South Island, often causes obvious damage, lemon tree borer has similar impact in the North Island. |
| Gorse thrips |
(Sericothrips staphylinus) |
Sap sucker, gradually becoming more common and widespread, impact unknown. |
| Heather beetle |
(Lochmaea suturalis) |
Foliage feeder, released widely in Tongariro National Park, some damaging outbreaks now occurring, also established near Rotorua and severely damaging heather there. |
| Hemlock moth |
(Agonopterix alstromeriana) |
Foliage feeder, self-introduced, common, often causes severe damage. |
| Hieracium crown hover fly |
(Cheilosia psilophthalma) |
Crown feeder, limited releases made so far, establishment success unknown, rearing difficulties need to be overcome to allow widespread releases to begin. |
| Hieracium gall midge |
(Macrolabis pilosellae) |
Gall former, widely released and has established but is not yet common at sites in both islands, impact unknown but very damaging in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium gall wasp |
(Aulacidea subterminalis) |
Gall former, widely released and has established but is not yet common in the South Island, impact unknown but reduces stolon length in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium plume moth |
(Oxyptilus pilosellae) |
Foliage feeder, only released at one site so far and did not establish, further releases will be made if rearing difficulties can be overcome. |
| Hieracium root hover fly |
(Cheilosia urbana) |
Root feeder, limited releases made so far, establishment success unknown, rearing difficulties need to be overcome to allow widespread releases to begin. |
| Hieracium rust |
(Puccinia hieracii var. piloselloidarum) |
Leaf rust fungus, self-introduced?, common, may damage mouse-ear hawkweed but plants vary in susceptibility. |
| Lantana blister rust |
(Puccinia lantanae) |
Rust fungus that causes dead patches on the leaves, leaf stalks and stems, can cause systemic infection triggering stem dieback, permission to release granted in 2012 and releases are planned to begin later this year. |
| Lantana leaf rust |
(Prospodium tuberculatum) |
Rust fungus that causes leaf death and defoliation, permission to release granted in 2012 and releases are planned to begin later this year. |
| Lantana plume moth |
(Lantanophaga pusillidactyla) |
Flower feeder, self-introduced, host-range, distribution and impact unknown. |
| Mexican devil weed gall fly |
(Procecidochares utilis) |
Gall former, common, initially high impact but now reduced considerably by Australian parasitic wasp. |
| Mexican devil weed leaf fungus |
(Passalora ageratinae) |
Leaf fungus, probably accidentally introduced along with the gall fly in 1958, common and almost certainly having an impact on the weed. |
| Mist flower fungus |
Entyloma ageratinae) |
Leaf smut, common and often causes severe damage. |
| Mist flower gall fly |
(Procecidochares alani) |
Gall former, now well established and common at many sites, in conjunction with the leaf smut provides excellent control of mist flower. |
| Moth plant beetle |
(Colaspis argentinensis) |
Root feeder, permission to release granted in late 2011 and it is hoped releases can begin in 2013. |
| Nodding thistle crown weevil |
(Trichosirocalus horridus) |
Root and crown feeder, becoming common on several thistles, often provides excellent control in conjunction with other nodding thistle agents. |
| Nodding thistle gall fly |
(Urophora solstitialis) |
Seed feeder, becoming common, can help to provide control in conjunction with other nodding thistle agents. |
| Nodding thistle receptacle weevil |
(Rhinocyllus conicus) |
Seed feeder, common on several thistles, can help to provide control of nodding thistle in conjunction with the other nodding thistle agents. |
| Old man’s beard leaf fungus |
(Phoma clematidina) |
Leaf fungus, initially caused noticeable damage but has since either become rare or died out. |
| Old man’s beard leaf miner |
(Phytomyza vitalbae) |
Leaf miner, common, only one severely damaging outbreak seen, appears to be limited by parasites. |
| Old man’s beard sawfly |
(Monophadnus spinolae) |
Foliage feeder, limited widespread releases have been made, has probably failed to establish. |
| Phoma leaf blight |
(Phoma exigua var. exigua) |
Leaf spot fungus, self-introduced, becoming common, can cause minor–severe damage to a range of thistles. |
| Cinnabar moth |
(Tyria jacobaeae) |
Foliage feeder, common in some areas, often causes obvious damage. |
| Ragwort crown-boring moth |
(Cochylis atricapitana) |
Stem miner and crown borer, limited number of widespread releases made in 2006/07, establishment looking unlikely. |
| Ragwort flea beetle |
(Longitarsus jacobaeae) |
Root and crown feeder, common in most areas, often provides excellent control in many areas. |
| Ragwort plume moth |
(Platyptilia isodactyla) |
Stem, crown and root borer, widespread releases made in past 5 years, appears to be establishing readily and reducing ragwort already at some wetter sites where the flea beetle is ineffective. |
| Ragwort seed fly |
(Botanophila jacobaeae) |
Seed feeder, established in the central North Island, no significant impact. |
| Greater St John's wort beetle |
(Chrysolina quadrigemina) |
Foliage feeder, common in some areas, not believed to be as significant as the lesser St John’s wort beetle. |
| Lesser St John’s wort beetle |
(Chrysolina hyperici) |
Foliage feeder, common, nearly always provides excellent control. |
| St John’s wort gall midge |
(Zeuxidiplosis giardi) |
Gall former, established in the northern South Island, often causes severe stunting. |
| Scotch thistle gall fly |
(Urophora stylata) |
Seed feeder, limited releases to date, establishing readily, impact unknown. |
| Tradescantia leaf beetle |
(Neolema ogloblini) |
Foliage feeder, permission to release granted in 2008, releases finally got underway in autumn 2011 after beetle successfully cleared of a gut parasite, widespread releases now underway and establishment is looking promising. |
| Tradescantia stem beetle |
(Lema basicostata) |
Stem borer, permission to release granted in 2011, releases got underway in 2012 and will be continuing. |
| Tradescantia tip beetle |
(Neolema abbreviata) |
Tip feeder, permission to release granted in 2011 and releases are scheduled to begin later this year. |
| Woolly nightshade lace bug |
(Gargaphia decoris) |
Sap sucker, permission to release granted by ERMA in 2009, releases began in late 2010 and establishment has been confirmed at many sites. |
