A New Biological Agent for the Control of Exotic Weed, Mikania micrantha Kunth—Actinote thalia pyrrha (Fabricius)

摘要

Mikania micrantha Kunth is a perennial vine, native to Central and South America, which is an extremely fast growing, sprawling exotic weed belong to Asteraceae. Now, it has invaded to South & Southeast Asia, Pacific region and South China, especially Hong Kong and the region along the coast line of Guangdong province, such as Huizhou, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Yangjiang etc. since 1980s. M. micrantha has become one of the world's worst weeds because it grows very fast and is hard to control. A number of very promising and probably specific, natural enemies are known in Central and South America where M. micrantha is not regarded as a weed. But most of those are difficult to establish their natural colonies in other place. Actinote thalia pyrrha (Fabricius) which is native to Brazil and belong to Lepidoptera Nymphalidae Acraeinae, was first introduced as a new biological agent for the control of M. micrantha, to Guangdong Entomological Instistute from Indonesia Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute by Dr. Roch Desmier de Chenon on 7th December 2001. The biology of A . thalia pyrrha such as life cycle, characteristics, behavior and cir-cadian activities etc., and some of its host specificity, the environment for mass rearing in South China had been researched. Parts of the results of that are reported here.