SYSTEMATIC MASS REARING AND RELEASE OF MICROCTONUS-HYPERODAE (HYM, BRACONIDAE, EUPHORINAE), A PARASITOID OF THE ARGENTINE STEM WEEVIL LISTRONOTUS-BONARIENSIS (COL, CURCULIONIDAE) AND RECORDS OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN NEW-ZEALAND

The method whereby equal numbers of seven ecotypes of the parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Euphorinae) were reared and released is described along with the reasons for doing so. This was achieved by variably intense rearing effort depending on the number of founder females in that particular ecotype. The parasitoid was released in three regions of New Zealand as a control agent of the Listronotus bonariensis Kuschel (Col. : Curculionidae), a severe pest of New Zealand pastures. It was later recovered from all three regions.