John Early

The conservation status of New Zealand Hymenoptera

Two species of New Zealand Hymenoptera, a colletid bee Leioproctus nunui and a gasteruptiid Gasteruption scintillans, are considered Threatened: both are ranked Nationally Critical. Twenty taxa are At Risk, comprising two taxa that are Declining with the remainder classified as Naturally Uncommon. A further 47 taxa are Data Deficient, and 669 known species are either Not Threatened or Introduced and Naturalised.

Morphospecies and taxonomic species comparison for Hymenoptera

Abstract The use of morphospecies as surrogates for taxonomic species has been proposed as an alternative to overcome the identification difficulties associated with many invertebrate studies, such as biodiversity surveys. Hymenoptera specimens were collected by beating and pitfall traps, and were separated into morphospecies by a non-specialist with no prior training, and later identified by an expert taxonomist. The number of Hymenoptera morphospecies and taxonomic species was 37 and 42, respectively, representing an underestimation error of 12%. Different families presented varying levels of difficulty, and although the species estimation provided by the use of morphospecies initially appeared to have a relatively minor error rate, this was actually an artefact. Splitting and lumping errors balanced each other out, wrongly suggesting that morphospecies were reasonable surrogates for taxonomic species in the Hymenoptera. The use of morphospecies should be adopted only for selected target groups, which have been assessed as reliable surrogates for taxonomic species beforehand, and some prior training to the non-specialist is likely to be of primary importance.

Invertebrate survey of a modified native shrubland, Brookdale Covenant, Rock and Pillar Range, Otago, New Zealand

Abstract This is the first published invertebrate survey focusing on a low‐altitude shrubland community in New Zealand. Invertebrates were collected from a remnant native shrubland (450 m) protected by the Brookdale Conservation Covenant, Rock and Pillar Range, Otago, New Zealand in late summer/autumn 1999. Sampling was carried out by beating 30 randomly chosen shrubs of each of two native species: Olearia bullata H. D. Wilson & Garnock‐Jones (Asteraceae) and Coprosma propinqua A. Cunn. (Rubiaceae). Fifty pitfall traps were also set under the same shrubs and on nearby open patches of exotic grassland. Three Phyla, six Classes, 25 Orders and approximately 280 species were recorded. An annotated list of taxa is presented, and plant/host associations plus other observations on the fauna are discussed. Approximately 90% of the identified species were endemic, emphasising the importance of such remnant habitats for the protection of New Zealands biodiversity.

Fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae and Torymidae) in New Zealand

The symbiotic Hymenoptera associated with the Australian banyan figs Ficus macrophylla and F. rubiginosa and established in New Zealand are listed and keyed. Pseudidarnes minerva (Girault), Sycoscapter australis (Froggatt) and Megastigmus sp. are new records for the N.Z. fauna. Pseudidarnes minerva was found to contain dimorphic males, and an uncommon apterous morph is described.

The invertebrate fauna of epiphyte mats in the canopy of northern rata (Myrtaceae: Metrosideros robusta A. Cunn.) on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand

Abstract The range of microhabitats and microclimatic conditions provided by epiphytes has been linked to the high diversity of invertebrates in many forest canopies worldwide, but comparably little is known about the invertebrate fauna in this habitat in New Zealand. This study compiled an inventory of the invertebrate fauna of epiphyte mats in the canopy of northern rata (Myrtaceae: Metrosideros robusta A. Cunn.) at two study sites on the West Coast of the South Island. A total of 242 069 invertebrate specimens was collected over one year, representing 4 phyla, 9 classes and more than 160 families, 225 genera and 446 species. At least 10 new species and 3 new genera were identified, while 5 species were recorded outside their known geographical range. Epiphyte mats provided habitat for an invertebrate fauna, highly diverse and abundant both taxonomically and functionally, dominated in terms of abundance by Acari, Collembola and Hymenoptera (largely ants), and in terms of feeding guilds by epiphyte grazers and ants. As the first inventory of this taxonomic depth and breadth compiled for New Zealand forest epiphyte habitats, this study provides important baseline data for the conservation of biodiversity in New Zealands indigenous forests.

‘Unestablished’ biological control agent found in Canterbury 40 years later

ABSTRACT The polyphagous ectoparasitoid, Rhopalicus tutela (Walker), introduced to New Zealand as a biological control agent of Hylastes ater (Paykull) during the 1970s, has recently been collected from a forest park in Canterbury. Researchers previously thought that the species had failed to establish at release sites around the North Island. Monitoring of the species was ceased in 1985 and research into its potential to control bark beetle populations was abandoned. Mystery surrounds whether the discovered population is part of the original introduction or may have arrived to New Zealand on its own.

Hymenoptera associated with marine strandlines at Christchurch and Banks Peninsula

ABSTRACT A number of species of Hymenoptera are associated with marine strandlines or wrack, where they are generally parasitoids of dipteran larvae and/or pupae. However, few records appear to exist of Hymenoptera associated with strandlines in New Zealand. We recorded the adult Hymenoptera obtained in 30 minute hand searches in strandlines at 36 sites at Christchurch and Banks Peninsula over the course of 3 years. Twenty-five species were recorded, consisting of four species of ants, one sawfly, one bee and 19 parasitoid wasps. The most commonly encountered species, in terms of both numbers collected and sites recorded, was Kleidotoma subantarcticana (Figitidae: Eucoilinae). Trichomalopsis sp. (Pteromalidae), two species of Spilomicrus (Diapriidae) and Trichopria sp. (Diapriidae) were also relatively widespread. There were no statistical differences in the number of Hymenoptera species recorded on sandy, shingle or boulder beaches on Banks Peninsula. Adult wasps were collected in all calendar months, although there was a decrease in occurrence in autumn and early winter. Hand searching proved a valuable method to obtain adult specimens of wasps for information on biogeography and seasonality. However, the rearing of wasps from different species of dipteran larvae or pupae is required to provide details of host species usage and attribute specific ecological functions of parasitoids within the strandline habitat.