<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizedra lutosa</Emphasis>, a natural enemy of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> in North America |
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| Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">R?A?CasagrandeEmail author G?Balme B?Blossey |
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| Institution: | 1.Department of Plant Sciences,University of Rhode Island,Kingston;2.Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Hall,Cornell University,Ithaca |
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| Abstract: | Rhizedra lutosa (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), native to Europe, was first found in North America in 1988 in southern New Jersey. The
insect is reported to cause serious damage toPhragmites australis in the Netherlands, but it now appears to be relatively unimportant throughout central Europe. We are investigating this
insect as part of an effort to characterize existing natural enemies ofP. australis in North America toward a goal of biological control of this invasive plant. We trapped adults ofR. lutosa with blacklights in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Delaware, and Maryland; we also found it in Ohio
and Pennsylvania.R. lutosa larvae feed in stems and rhizomes ofP. australis growing in dry sites. Based uponR. lutosa damage surveys andP. australis biomass measurements, we have determined that this insect does cause a reduction of plant growth in some sites, however,
because of low moth densities, this effect is small. Despite spreading rapidly,R. lutosa densities do not appear to be increasing at sites we have investigated, and this insect does not currently appear to have
much of an impact uponP. australis in North America. |
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