TACHINIDAE: Exoristinae: Blondeliini: Trigonospila Pokorny, 1886

Trigonospila picta Pokorny, 1886, orig. des.

Diagnosis

Characteristics of Trigonospila include: 1.Body size 7 – 14mm; 2. Distinctive black with pearly whitish to golden transverse bars on the thorax and abdomen; 3. Presutural intra-alar seta present; 4.Wing cell r₄₊₅ open; 5. Apical setae present on abdominal segment 2 and a pair of discal setae on abdominal segment 3

Distribution in NZ

North Island: AK, CL, BP, GB, HB, ND, RI, TK, TO, WA, WI, WN, WO, Aldermen Islands, Mercury Islands, Poor Knights Islands, Three Kings Islands; South Island: MC, NN. The distribution might be much wider in South Island. The genus has a worldwide distribution. Trigonospilla bevifacies is introduced from Australia.

Species in New Zealand

Trigonospila brevifacies Hardy, 1934

Biology and Hosts

Trigonospila brevifacies was introduced to New Zealand in the 1960s and 70s from Australia as a biocontrol agent of the light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana (Tortricidae) and the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (Gelechiidae). However T. bervifacies has been found to be polyphagous on Lepidoptera larvae and to compete with many native parasitoids. In New Zealand T. bervifacies has been recorded from:
Carpinosina adreptella (Walker) (Carposinidae); Helcystogramma sp., Phthorimaea operculella Zeller (Gelechiidae); Pasiphila lunata (Philpott) (Geometridae); Homohadena (s.l.) fortis (Noctuidae); Cnephasia jactatana (Walker), Ctenopseustis herana (Felder & Rogenhofer), C. obliquana (Walker), Epalxiphora axenana (Meyrick), Epiphyas postvittana (Walker), Planotortrix excessana (Walker), Planotortrix notophaea (Walker), Pyrgotis lagiatana (Walker), Strepsicrates ejectana (Walker); S. macropetana (Meyrick) (Tortricidae); Eutorna phalocosma (Meyrick), Hierodoris atychioides (Butler) (Oecophoricae); Aciptilia monospilalis (Walker), Platyptilia falcatalis (Walker) (Pterophoridae); Epipaschia costigeralis (Walker) (Pyralidae); Stathmopoda skelloni (Butler) (Stathmopodidae).

Citation

Schnitzler F-R 2016. Tachinidae of New Zealand. Genus Trigonospila
http://tachinidae.landcareresearch.co.nz
Accessed: 6 November 2024

Revised

v1.0. Schnitzler F-R. 2016