Biology, epidemiology and control of a species of Lichenaula Meyrick (Lepidoptera : Xyloryctidae) in radiata pine.  F.G Neumann.  May 1971.  21 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

Observations are reported on some aspects of the autecology of a species of Lichenaula, whose larvae destroyed young foliage and thereby reduced growth or killed some of the poorer trees of Pinus radiata in slow growing 15-30 year old stands in south-central Victoria in the 1960’s. The specific name of this native moth has not yet been determined because of many difficulties in the taxonomy of the genus that are unlikely to be resolved in the near future.

The outbreak is the first record in Australia of defoliation of exotic pine by a species of Lichenaula. The pest was successfully controlled by felling and subsequently burning defoliated and suppressed trees during winter 1967 and 1969. The moth could contribute to serious economic loss, particularly when associated with other defoliators and drought. Outbreaks close to those of Sirex noctilio should be quickly controlled because trees weakened by Lichenaula sp. during spring could offer little resistance to Sirex wasp attack during the subsequent summer.