Citizen science reveals the establishment of Chamaesphecia empiformis (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), a long-lost biological control agent for Euphorbia cyparissias (Euphorbiaceae), in Ontario, Canada
Alec McClay, Robert S. Bourchier, Jean-François Landry, Catherine E. Morris, Ivo Toševski
{"title":"Citizen science reveals the establishment of <i>Chamaesphecia empiformis</i> (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), a long-lost biological control agent for <i>Euphorbia cyparissias</i> (Euphorbiaceae), in Ontario, Canada","authors":"Alec McClay, Robert S. Bourchier, Jean-François Landry, Catherine E. Morris, Ivo Toševski","doi":"10.4039/tce.2023.17","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The European root-boring moth, Chamaesphecia empiformis (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), was released in Ontario, Canada, in 1971 and 1989 as a biological control agent for the perennial invasive weed cypress spurge, Euphorbia cyparissias Linnaeus (Euphorbiaceae). Until recently, the moth was believed to have failed to establish. Beginning in 2015, images posted on citizen science platforms, including BugGuide, iNaturalist, and Facebook groups, indicated that C. empiformis was in fact established. We have confirmed its presence in eastern Ontario by morphological and molecular identification of field-collected adults and eggs. This may be the longest-known lapse between the release of a weed biological control agent and confirmation of its establishment. Citizen science may provide valuable records documenting the establishment and dispersal of biological control agents.","PeriodicalId":55289,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Entomologist","volume":"134 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Canadian Entomologist","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2023.17","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENTOMOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Abstract The European root-boring moth, Chamaesphecia empiformis (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), was released in Ontario, Canada, in 1971 and 1989 as a biological control agent for the perennial invasive weed cypress spurge, Euphorbia cyparissias Linnaeus (Euphorbiaceae). Until recently, the moth was believed to have failed to establish. Beginning in 2015, images posted on citizen science platforms, including BugGuide, iNaturalist, and Facebook groups, indicated that C. empiformis was in fact established. We have confirmed its presence in eastern Ontario by morphological and molecular identification of field-collected adults and eggs. This may be the longest-known lapse between the release of a weed biological control agent and confirmation of its establishment. Citizen science may provide valuable records documenting the establishment and dispersal of biological control agents.
期刊介绍:
French translation follows/le français suit Published since 1868, this peer-reviewed bimonthly publication is the official journal of the Entomological Society of Canada. Available via the internet and with hardcopy distribution to 55 countries, its research papers and notes are relevant to entomologists and other biologists around the world. In addition to being a venue for topical reviews and forum discussion, The Canadian Entomologist publishes current research in all facets of entomology, including systematics and morphology, molecular and developmental biology, ecology and behaviour, biodiversity and evolution, insect management, entomological techniques, and other relevant subject areas. Contributions are published in English or French. Authors will not pay page charges, and will experience fast, high quality reviews of their papers.Publiée depuis 1868, cette publication bimestrielle avec comité de lecture est la revue officielle de la Société d’entomologie du Canada. Disponible sur Internet et distribuée en format papier dans 55 pays, ses articles de recherche et ses notes sont pertinents pour les entomologistes et autres biologistes de par le monde. En plus d’être une plate-forme pour des revues thématiques et un forum de discussion, The Canadian Entomologist publie la recherche actuelle sur toutes les facettes de l’entomologie, incluant la systématique et la morphologie, la biologie moléculaire et développementale, l’écologie et le comportement, la biodiversité et l’évolution, la gestion des insectes, les techniques entomologiques et d’autres domaines pertinents. Les contributions sont publiées en français ou en anglais. Les auteurs ne paient aucun frais de publication, et recevront une révision rapide et de grande qualité de leurs articles.