3 Stem-galling wasp at Molonglo River Reserve
Identification history
| Tetramesa sp. (genus) | 24 Apr 2024 | RichardMilner | ||
| Tetramesa sp. (genus) | 24 Apr 2024 | SteveBorkowskis | ||
| Unidentified | 24 Apr 2024 | SteveBorkowskis |
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Significant sighting
HelenCross noted:
24 Apr 2024
Tetramesa sp. is currently being explored as a potential biocontrol for African Love Grass (a major environmental weed) and was only recently discovered in Australia
2 comments
RichardMilner
wrote:
24 Apr 2024
Very exciting record. Nice one, Steve. Tetramesa sp. is currently being explored as a potential biocontrol for ALG and was only recently discovered in Australia (https://www.reabic.net/journals/bir/2023/3/BIR_2023_Sutton_etal.pdf). It would be great to get a better handle on the distribution of this species across Australia and whether or not it is also impacting closely related native Eragrostis species.
Excerpt from above paper:
The presence of Tetramesa can be rapidly assessed by characteristic emergence holes located above the 1st and 2nd tiller nodes. To date, only one Tetramesa species is known from Australia, namely Tetramesa australiensis.
It is possible that several Australian native Eragrostis species may be at risk of attack by this Tetramesa sp. Field surveys of the native Eragrostis species that are closely related to E. curvula should be conducted across Australia to determine how widespread the wasp is and if it is impacting native Eragrostis populations. The Tetramesa sp. is also likely to be providing benefits in Australia by damaging the invasive alien populations of E. curvula. These impacts need to be quantified…
Excerpt from above paper:
The presence of Tetramesa can be rapidly assessed by characteristic emergence holes located above the 1st and 2nd tiller nodes. To date, only one Tetramesa species is known from Australia, namely Tetramesa australiensis.
It is possible that several Australian native Eragrostis species may be at risk of attack by this Tetramesa sp. Field surveys of the native Eragrostis species that are closely related to E. curvula should be conducted across Australia to determine how widespread the wasp is and if it is impacting native Eragrostis populations. The Tetramesa sp. is also likely to be providing benefits in Australia by damaging the invasive alien populations of E. curvula. These impacts need to be quantified…
RogerF
wrote:
3 May 2024
Interesting and complex story explained in the Sutton paper. I will keep at eye out for Tetramesa exit holes. There does not seem much biocontrol potential in the introduced species that may have arrived with its host a while back. Presumably one has to collect stems without holes in an area that has stems with exit holes to obtain specimens
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Nearby sightings
Location information
- Coordinates 149.039703-35.287117
- Altitude 514.3m
- Maps Molonglo River Reserve
- Places Denman Prospect, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 24 Apr 2024 12:51 PM Recorded on
- SteveBorkowskis Recorded by
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Additional information
- True Wasp nest present
- Alive / healthy Animal health
- Eragrostis curvula Associated plant
- Less than 5mm Animal size
- False Pollinator Insect on Flower
Species information
- Tetramesa sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Stem-galling wasp Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Up to 606.25m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
- External link More information
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- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Confirmed by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
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