Evidence from a gelechiid leaf-tier on mesquite (Mimosaceae: Prosopis) that semi-concealed Lepidopteran biological control agents may not be at risk from parasitism in Australian rangelands

Parasitism can limit the effectiveness of weed biological control agents. In this study, we surveyed larval and pupal parasitoids of the leaf-tying moth, Evippe sp. #1 (Gelechiidae), a biological control agent released widely in rangeland Australia against mesquite (Mimosaceae: Prosopis spp.). This moth was expected to be vulnerable to parasitism, as it has a semi-concealed feeding habit, is a member of a well-represented family, and is a herbivore on a well-represented family of trees and shrubs. We conducted surveys in four regions across Australia to determine whether parasitoids were responsible for differential performance of the moth in rangeland Australia, and what the consequences might be for the release of further semi-concealed Lepidoptera. The parasitoid fauna was found to be diverse, but the composition was similar across the four regions surveyed. It included primary and hyperparasitoids of both larvae and pupae. Parasitism rates were generally low, rarely above a few percentage points in any one survey, and therefore, unlikely to threaten moth populations. There was also no relationship between parasitism rates and leaf-tie abundance. These results suggest that any new semi-concealed lepidopteran biological control agents in rangeland Australia might also be parasitised by a diverse fauna. However, a better understanding of what determines parasitism rates is required to predict whether it would be sufficient to threaten biological control.