PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 90(2). 1988. pp. 216-228 THE PHYTOPHAGOUS INSECT FAUNA ASSOCIATED WITH BACCHARIS HALIMIFOLIA L. IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES W. A. Palmer and F. D. Bennett (WAP) Northern American Field Station, Queensland Department of Lands, 2714 Pecan Drive, Temple, Texas 76502; (FDB) Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (formerly Director, Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Trinidad). Abstract.— A. survey of the phytophagous insects found on Baccharis halimifolia along the eastern seaboard of the United States was undertaken as part of an extensive program to find biological control agents for this plant in Australia. One hundred and seventy four phytophagous insect species were collected or were recorded in the host records of the Division of Plant Industry, Bureau of Entomology insect collection at Gainesville. Four-teen species were considered to be monophagous and potential biological control agents. Lepidoptera and cndophages constituted a high proportion of this group. Fifty five general predators and 5 1 agricultural pests were also found on B. halimifolia. Key H ords: Biological control, survey, weed Baccharis halimifolia L. (Family Astera-ceae: Tribe Astereae: Sub-Tribe Bacchari-nae) is a North American shrub that has become a noxious weed in Queensland, .Australia (Stanley and Ross 1986). As part of its effort to control this weed, the Queens-land Department of Lands initiated a pro-gram in 1 960 to find suitable biological con-trol agents from the New World where the Baccharinae are native. B. halimifolia is found along the eastern seaboard of the United States from Florida to Massachusetts. It was probably intro-duced into Australia from Florida which has a subtropical climate most closely approx-imating that of southeast Queensland where B. halimifolia is most troublesome. The eastern seaboard was therefore selected as a very appropriate area in which to survey the insect fauna associated with this plant. From the survey it was hoped that mono-phagous species suitable for importation and release into Australia could be selected for further study. Various surveys of insect faunas on Bac-charis have already been reported. Tilden (1951) listed 221 insects, including 55 pri-mary herbivores, associated with the veg-etative parts of B. pihilaris DC. F. D. Ben-nett (unpublished) surveyed the fauna on various species of Baccharis in Brazil. Kraft and Denno (1982) listed the major foliage-feeding herbivores attacking B. halimifolia in Maryland. Palmer (1987) surveyed the insect fauna on B. halimifolia and the closely related B. neglecta Britton in Louisiana, Texas, and northern Mexico and reported 1 33 phytophagous species, of which 1 1 were considered monophagous. Boldt and Rob-bins (1987) surveyed B. neglecta in Texas and reported 9 1 phytophagous species. B. halimifolia is a perennial, dioecious woody shrub that grows to a height of 15 feet. It produces new growth in spring, and
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