Information

Agent

Spurgia esulae Gagné

Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Cecidomyiidae

Past Names/Synonyms: Bayeria capitigena Bremi

Notes: Previously included with Spurgia capitigena (Bremi) under Bayeria capitigena Bremi. The agent was transferred to Spurgia and separated into two distinct species in 1990 by the entomologist R.J. Gagné. More recent studies with these midges revealed no evidence for two species, or two species separated by host plant. However, a revision of this group has not been published, so the two names created by Gagné remained valid at the time of publication of this version of the catalogue.

Agent Name References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.

Agent Synonym References:
- Gagné, R.J. 1989. The gall midge complexes (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on spurges (Euphorbia spp.) in Europe. In 1989 Leafy Spurge Symposium. 12-13 July 1989, Bozeman, Montana; Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. pp. 2-3.
- Gagné, R.J. 1990. Gall midge complex (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in bud galls of palearctic Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 83: 335-345.
- Hansen, R.W., N.R. Spencer, L. Fornasari, P.C. Quimby Jr., R.W. Pemberton, and R.M. Nowierski. 2004. Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula (complex). In E.M. Coombs, J.K. Clark, G.L. Piper, and A.F. Cofrancesco Jr., Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the United States. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon. pp. 233-262.

Agent Notes References:
- Lloyd, C.J., R.A. Hufbauer, A. Jackson, S.J. Nissen, and A.P. Norton. 2005. Pre- and post-introduction patterns in neutral genetic diversity in the leafy spurge gall midge, Spurgia capitigena (Bremi) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Biological Control 33(2): 153-164.

Weed

Euphorbia cyparissias L.

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Common Name: cypress spurge

Notes: North American cypress spurge is considered a complex of cypress spurge subspecies from multiple introductions

Origin: Eurasia

Weed Name References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.

Weed Common Name References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.

Weed Notes References:
- Bourchier, R., R. Hansen, R. Lym, A. Norton, D. Olson, C.B. Randall, M. Schwarzländer, and L. Skinner. 2006. Biology and Biological Control of Leafy Spurge. FHTET-2005-07. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. 138 pp.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.

Weed Origin References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.

Release and Source Information

List: 1 - Exotic Organisms Intentionally Introduced

Source: Ex. Italy
Year: 1995
Region: North America
Country: United States of America
Subregion of Country: NH, RI
Subregion specific:

Release History: Redistributed from Euphorbia esula in MT ND to E. cyparissias in NH RI 1995-1996

Release Notes: Released on both Euphorbia cyparissias and E. esula.

Source Information References:
- Bourchier, R., R. Hansen, R. Lym, A. Norton, D. Olson, C.B. Randall, M. Schwarzländer, and L. Skinner. 2006. Biology and Biological Control of Leafy Spurge. FHTET-2005-07. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. 138 pp.
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.

Original Host Species

Euphorbia esula L.

Original Host Species References:
- Pemberton, R.W. 1995. Leafy spurge. In J.R. Nechols, L.A. Andres, J.W. Beardsley, R.D. Goeden, and C.G. Jackson, Eds. Biological Control in the Western United States: Accomplishments and Benefits of Regional Research Project W-84, 1964-1989. Publication 3361. University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, California. pp. 289-295.

Establishment

Established: Yes
Established in Subregion of Country: NH, RI
Established in Subregion specific:

Establishment References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.

Abundance

Variable

Abundance References:
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.

Agent Impact

Impact: None
Geographic Scale of impact:
Impact Notes: Sporadic in NH, abundant at one site in RI. No damage apparent, galls form following flowering so overall impact insignificant.

Impact References:
- Bourchier, R., R. Hansen, R. Lym, A. Norton, D. Olson, C.B. Randall, M. Schwarzländer, and L. Skinner. 2006. Biology and Biological Control of Leafy Spurge. FHTET-2005-07. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. 138 pp.
- Faubert, H. and R.A. Casagrande. 2002. Cypress Spurge. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 195-207.

Limiting Factors

None

Other Attack

Were other species attacked?: No
Other Species Attacked Notes:

Research Organizations

University of North Dakota, Fargo (State (11))
Montana State University (State (7))
Bozeman, Montana (USDA (10))
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS)

Notes