Agriculture Reference
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Apion brunneonigrum
Beguin-Bellecoq (Coleoptera: Brenthidae)
This weevil lays eggs on developing flower heads; the larvae feed on flowers
and reduce seed production. Pupation occurs in the flower heads and emerged
adults remain feeding on tender leaves until next year for oviposition on flow-
ers [44]. Small releases were made in Sabah, Malaysia in 1970, Nigeria in
1970-79, India in 1972-73, Sri Lanka in 1974-76, Ghana in 1975 and Guam
in 1984 but it did not establish in these countries [1].
Acalitus adoratus
Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae)
This erineum forming mite feeds on the lower surface of the leaves. The abnor-
mal growth of the epidermal hairs, due to feeding of the mites, forms the
erineum. McFadyen [45] suggested the possibility that it was accidentally
introduced to Sabah, Malaysia, when the field collected weevils of
A. brun-
neonigrum
from Trinidad were released in 1970. Since then, this mite has for-
tuitously spread throughout Asia, and Micronesia [26, 45].
Mescinia parvula
Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
This moth lays eggs individually on tender leaves of chromolaena. The larvae
bore into the terminal or axillary buds. They bore down the stem and cause
death of the shoots. Pupation takes place outside on the stem or in the debris
[46]. Attempts to breed these in laboratory captivity were unsuccessful in
Trinidad, Guam and India. A small number of moths were released in 1984 and
1986 in Guam but it did not establish. Two shipments of this insect were
received in India but they were not released in the field [26, 35, 47].
Melanagromyza eupatoriella
Spencer (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
The adult fly lays eggs individually on terminal or axillary shoot tips. Maggots
bore in to the stem. Pupation takes place in the bore hole. It was imported to
Thailand in 1978 but no field releases were made [48]. Similarly a shipment
was received in Guam in 1987 but most of the pupae were parasitized and no
release was made [49].
Cecidochares connexa
Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae)
This fly lays eggs on terminal or axillary buds. Eggs are laid in packed mass-
es of 2-16 per tip. The larvae tunnel into the stem and form galls. It takes
about 45-75 days to complete the life cycle [50]. A culture of this gall fly was
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