Lepidopterans as Potential Agents for the Biological Control of the Invasive Plant,Miconia calvescens

Abstract

This work investigated eight species of Lepidoptera associated with Miconia calvescens DC. (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) in Brazil, including six defoliators, Salbia lotanalis Druce (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Druentia inscita Schaus (Mimallonidae), Antiblemma leucocyma Hampson (Noctuidae), three Limacodidae species, a fruit borer Carposina cardinata Meyrick (Carposinidae), and a damager of flowers Pleuroprucha rudimentaria Guenée (Geometridae). Based on host specificity and the damage caused to plants, S. lotanalis and D. inscita are the most promising species for biological control of M. calvescens. Furthermore, if C. cardinata and P. rudimentaria have host specificity in future tests, these caterpillars could also be considered as appropriate biocontrol agents.

Biology, Behavior, and Larval Morphology of Salbia lotanalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of Miconia calvescens (Myrtales: Melastomataceae) from Costa Rica

“…Although preliminary, our tests provide further ev idence that S. lotanalis has a host range restricted to Melastomataceae (Morais et al 2012). Some of the Miconia spp.…”

“…We found that S. lotanalis was relatively easy to rear in the laboratory on potted M. calvescens, an important consideration for a potential biocontrol agent. Morais et al (2012) found that S. lotanalis could also be reared on M. calvescens leaves in plastic bags.…”

“…Several insects from Brazil and Costa Rica have been studied as potential biological control agents of M. calvescens (Burckhardt et al 2005(Burckhardt et al ,2006Picampo et al 2005;Badenes-Perez and Johnson 2007a,b, 2008, Allen 2010, Badenes-Perez et al 2010, Morais et al 2010a,b, Reichert et al 2010, Chacon-Madrigal et al 2012, Morais et al 2012). Among these insects, Salbia lotanalis Druce (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) has been studied in its native habitat in Brazil and in Costa Rica (Castillo 2009;Morais et al 2010bMorais et al , 2012Janzen and Hallwachs 2014;Badenes-Perez et al 2014).…”

“…Among these insects, Salbia lotanalis Druce (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) has been studied in its native habitat in Brazil and in Costa Rica (Castillo 2009;Morais et al 2010bMorais et al , 2012Janzen and Hallwachs 2014;Badenes-Perez et al 2014). The bi ology and behavior of S. lotanalis are still not wellknown, although the studies by Morais et al (2010Morais et al ( , 2012 have provided substantial knowledge on the biology of this species and its potential as a biological control agent of M. calvescens.…”

Damage toMiconia calvescensand Seasonal Abundance ofSalbia lotanalis(Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Costa Rica

“…A variety of neotropical arthropods and pathogens have been evaluated as potential biological control agents of M. calvescens in recent years, but so far only a fungal pathogen has been released in Hawaii and Tahiti (Killgore 2002, Picanç o et al 2005, Badenes-Perez et al 2008, Hanson et al 2010, Conant et al 2013). Among insects evaluated as potential agents, Salbia lotanalis Druce (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), whose larvae tie leaves producing large leaf rolls within which they feed, has been the subject of biology and hostspeciÞcity studies in Brazil (Morais et al 2010(Morais et al , 2012 and Costa Rica (Castillo 2009, Castillo et al 2014. The insect has Þve larval instars and completes one generation in 60 Ð90 d (Morais et al 2010, Castillo et al 2014.…”