Biological control factors influencing populations of oak leaf-miner, Lithocolletis messaniella Zeller, in New Zealand including the introduction of parasites

Summary

The oak leaf-miner, a European species, was first recorded in New Zealand in February 1951. Populations of this insect in New Zealand suffer heavy mortality at certain times due to adverse food-plant leaf conditions. Apanteles circumscriptus Nees and Enaysma splendens Delucchi were selected from the European parasite complex for consignment to New Zealand and Apanteles material was sent during March and April and Enaysma during October 1957. During the summer of 1957-58 Apanteles reached high population levels in Nelson.