Introduced Mirinae of New Zealand (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract

Six species of introduced Mirinae, Closterotomus norvegicus (Gmelin), Stenotus binotatus (F.), Sidnia kinbergi (Stål), Megaloceroea recticornis (Geoffroy), Trigonotylus tenuis (Reuter), and the recently discovered Taylorilygus apicalis (Fieber) are now known to be present in New Zealand. Descriptions, diagnoses and figures, including male and female genitalia are provided. Biology, host plants, and economic importance are reviewed, and the list of host plants updated. Sidnia kinbergi has been found breeding in high numbers in carrot seed crops.

Key to the genera of Mirinae (Hemiptera: Miridae) in New Zealand and descriptions of new taxa

“…45) large, apically raised above flaps; convex posteriorly, with flange-like body beneath basal sheet. REMARKS: The female genitalia of Chaetedus are, overall, nearer to those of Megaloceroea than to those of Trigonotylus as figured in Eyles (1999b). There are distinct differences, however, between the two genera.…”

“…This key to the genera of Mirinae may be read in conjunction with the following papers on New Zealand Mirinae: Eyles (1975Eyles ( , 1999aEyles ( , 1999bEyles ( , 2000, Eyles & Carvalho (1975, 1988, 1991, and Schwartz & Eyles (1999).…”

The effectiveness of two types of adhesive for catching insects in traps

“…Three other apple pests were included in the study: apple leafcurling midge (ALCM, Dasineura mali), San José scale (SJS, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus) and Froggatt's apple leafhopper (FAL, Edwardsiana froggatti). In addition, we also monitored Oriental fruit moth (OFM, Grapholita molesta), which primarily attacks stonefruit but can also infest pipfruit, citrophilous mealybug (Pseudococcus calceolariae), which infests a range of crops, but is a particular problem on grapes in New Zealand, and the Australian crop mirid (ACM, Sidnia kinbergi), which is a polyphagous pest of vegetables and pasture species (Eyles 1999).…”

Potential for classical biological control of the potato bug Closterotomus norwegicus (Hemiptera: Miridae): description, parasitism and host specificity of Peristenus closterotomae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

“…Calocoris norvegicus) (Hemiptera: Miridae), is widely distributed throughout Europe, northern Africa and occidental Asia and is regarded as an introduced species in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Tristan da Cunha (Aukema & Rieger, 1999). First reported in New Zealand in the 1920s (Myers & China, 1928), today it occurs throughout the entire country and on the Chatham Islands but is absent from Wairarapa, Kaikoura and Stewart Island (Eyles, 1999). In New Zealand, this polyphagous mirid occurs on a wide variety of host plants (Eyles, 1999) and is regarded as a major pest of lucerne, white clover and lotus seed crops on the South Island (Macfarlane et al, 1981;Schroeder, 1995).…”

“…First reported in New Zealand in the 1920s (Myers & China, 1928), today it occurs throughout the entire country and on the Chatham Islands but is absent from Wairarapa, Kaikoura and Stewart Island (Eyles, 1999). In New Zealand, this polyphagous mirid occurs on a wide variety of host plants (Eyles, 1999) and is regarded as a major pest of lucerne, white clover and lotus seed crops on the South Island (Macfarlane et al, 1981;Schroeder, 1995). Occasionally C. norwegicus causes feeding damage to asparagus (Watson & Townsend, 1981), cocksfoot seedling crops (McPherson, 1957;Eyles, 1999), hops (Ferro, 1976) and various vegetable crops (Chapman, 1976).…”