Who’s Who in Biological Control of Weeds?
| 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) | Stem borer, 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, released widely, established at some NI sites but no significant damage yet. Appears to be limited by predation and parasitism. |
| Bridal creeper rust (Puccinia myrsiphylli) | Rust fungus, self-introduced, first noticed in 2005, widespread, causing severe damage at many sites. |
| Broom gall mite (Aceria genistae) | Gall former, recently released widely, establishing well and severely damaging plants already at some sites. |
| Broom leaf beetle (Gonioctena olivacea) | Foliage feeder, recently released widely, establishment appears likely at a few sites so far. |
| Broom psyllid (Arytainilla spartiophila) | Sap sucker, becoming common, some damaging outbreaks seen but may be limited by predation, impact unknown. |
| Broom seed beetle (Bruchidius villosus) | Seed feeder, becoming common, showing potential to destroy many seeds. |
| Broom shoot moth (Agonopterix assimilella) | Foliage feeder, recently released at limited sites as difficult to rear, established at one site to date. |
| Broom twig miner (Leucoptera spartifoliella) | Stem miner, self-introduced, common, often causes obvious damage. |
| Californian thistle flea beetle (Altica carduorum) | Foliage feeder, released widely during the early 1990s, failed to establish. |
| Californian thistle gall fly (Urophora cardui) | Gall former, rare as 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 causes obvious damage. Systemic rust fungus, self-introduced, common, damage usually not widespread. |
| Californian thistle rust (Puccinia punctiformis) | Systemic rust fungus, self-introduced, common, damage usually not widespread |
| Californian thistle stem miner (Ceratapion onopordi) | Stem miner, attacks a range of thistles, recently released at limited sites as difficult to rear, establishment success unknown. |
| Green thistle beetle(Cassida rubiginosa) | Foliage feeder, attacks a range of thistles, recently released widely, establishing well with obvious damage seen at some sites already. |
| Chilean needle grass rust (Uromyces pencanus) | Rust fungus, approved for release in 2011, releases are likely to begin in 2014, only South Island populations are likely to be susceptible. |
| Darwin’s barberry flower bud weevil (Anthonomus kuscheli) | Flower bud feeder, approved for release in 2012, releases are likely to begin this spring. |
| Darwin’s barberry seed weevil (Berberidicola exaratus) | Seed feeder, approved for release in 2012, releases are likely to begin this spring. |
| Gorse colonial hard shoot moth (Pempelia genistella) | Foliage feeder, from limited releases 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, can destroy many seeds in spring but not as effective in autumn, 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, established poorly in the NI but well established and common in parts of the SI, some impressive outbreaks seen, impact unknown. |
| Gorse spider mite (Tetranychus lintearius) | Sap sucker, common, often causes obvious damage but ability to persist is limited by predation. |
| Gorse stem miner (Anisoplaca pytoptera) | Stem miner, native, common in the SI, often causes obvious damage, lemon tree borer has similar impact in the NI. |
| Gorse thrips (Sericothrips staphylinus) | Sap sucker, becoming more common and widespread, impact unknown. |
| Heather beetle (Lochmaea suturalis) | Foliage feeder, established in Tongariro National Park and near Rotorua, damaging outbreaks are increasing annually at lower and mid-altitudes often killing plants. |
| Hemlock moth (Agonopterix alstromeriana) | Foliage feeder, self-introduced, common, often causes severe damage. |
| Hieracium crown hover fly (Cheilosia psilophthalma) | Crown feeder, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, establishment success unknown. |
| Hieracium gall midge (Macrolabis pilosellae) | Gall former, widely released and has established in both islands but is not yet common, impact unknown but very damaging in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium gall wasp (Aulacidea subterminalis) | Gall former, widely released and common at some sites in the SI and established at one site in the NI, impact unknown but reduces stolon length in laboratory trials. |
| Hieracium plume moth (Oxyptilus pilosellae) | Foliage feeder, only released at one site due to rearing difficulties, did not establish. |
| Hieracium root hover fly (Cheilosia urbana) | Root feeder, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, establishment success unknown. |
| Hieracium rust (Puccinia hieracii var.piloselloidarum) | Leaf rust fungus, self and deliberately introduced, common, causes slight damage to some mouse-ear hawkweed, plants vary in susceptibility. |
| Lantana blister rust(Puccinia lantanae) | Rust fungus, approved for release in 2012, releases will begin this spring, damages leaves and stems and can cause whole branches to die back. |
| Lantana leaf rust (Prospodium tuberculatum) | Rust fungus, approved for release in 2012, releases will begin this spring, causes leaf death and defoliation. |
| 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, introduced with the gall fly in 1958, common and almost certainly having an impact. |
| Mist flower fungus (Entyloma ageratinae) | Leaf smut, common and often causes severe damage, has led to a dramatic reduction in mist flower. |
| Mist flower gall fly (Procecidochares alani) | Gall former, common now at many sites, enhances excellent control of mist flower by the fungus. |
| Moth plant beetle (Colaspis argentinensis) | Root feeder, approved for release in 2011, releases are likely to begin in 2014. |
| Nodding thistle crown weevil (Trichosirocalus horridus) | Root and crown feeder, becoming common on several thistles, often provides excellent control in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
| Nodding thistle gall fly (Urophora solstitialis) | Seed feeder, becoming common, can help to provide control in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
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Nodding thistle receptacle weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus) |
Seed feeder, common on several thistles, can help to provide control of nodding thistle in conjunction with other thistle agents. |
| Old man’s beard leaf fungus (Phoma clematidina) | Leaf fungus, initially caused noticeable damage but has become rare or died out. |
| Old man’s beard leaf miner (Phytomyza vitalbae) | Leaf miner, common, damaging outbreaks occasionally seen but appears to be limited by parasitism. |
| Old man’s beard sawfly (Monophadnus spinolae) | Foliage feeder, released at limited sites as difficult to rear, probably failed to establish. |
| 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, released widely, probably failed to establish. |
| Ragwort flea beetle (Longitarsus jacobaeae) | Root and crown feeder, common, provides excellent control in many areas. |
| Ragwort plume moth (Platyptilia isodactyla) | Stem, crown and root borer, recently released widely, establishing well and quickly reducing ragwort noticeably at many sites. |
| 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, released at limited sites, establishing and spreading readily, fewer thistles observed at some sites, impact unknown. |
| Tradescantia leaf beetle (Neolema ogloblini) | Foliage feeder, released widely since 2011, some promising signs of establishment seen. |
| Tradescantia stem beetle (Lema basicostata) | Stem borer, releases began in 2012 and are continuing. |
| Tradescantia tip beetle (Neolema abbreviata) | Tip feeder, releases began in 2013 and are continuing. |
| Tradescantia yellow leaf spot (Kordyana sp.) | Leaf fungus, approved for released in 2013, releases are likely to begin in 2014. |
| Woolly nightshade lace bug (Gargaphia decoris) | Sap sucker, recently released widely, establishing readily at many sites, some obvious damage seen, impact unknown. |