Abstract
Two insect species have been established on Chromolaena odorata along the southern coast of KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN), South Africa, and are spreading and increasing in density. Pareuchaetes insulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) has a similar biology to the widely used congener P. pseudoinsulata. A culture of P. insulata collected from Florida, USA, was mass-reared and released at 17 sites from 2001 to 2003. The site, near the coastal town of Umkomaas, at which the greatest number of larvae was released is the only site at which they established. In late 2004, after the insect had virtually disappeared from the site during the 20 months after releases had ended, an outbreak was found 0.5 km from the point of release. Over the ensuing months, P. insulata re-appeared throughout the area within 1 km of this point. With good, prolonged summer rains in 2006, the population increased dramatically and plants within a 4 km radius of the release point, particularly in shady areas, were extensively defoliated and became yellow in color. Plant height was markedly decreased and in some places the plants were being outcompeted by other species. Indicators of the presence of P. insulata were recorded over 20 km away in either direction along the coast and 10km inland. With the onset of the dry season, the condition of chromolaena deteriorated, and the numbers of larvae observed
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Pareuchaetes insulata established only at the site near Umkomaas where the greatest number of larvae was released.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Interactor
- Pareuchaetes insulata
Pareuchaetes insulatae0biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- the only site at which they establishede1
- Setting
- near the coastal town of Umkomaase1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e0“Pareuchaetes insulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)”
e1“The site, near the coastal town of Umkomaas, at which the greatest number of larvae was released is the only site at which they established”
Claim · model-written summary
After good summer rains in 2006 the P. insulata population increased dramatically.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Interactor
- Pareuchaetes insulata
Pareuchaetes insulatae0biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- populatione1
- Direction
- increased dramaticallye1
- Qualifier
- good, prolonged summer rains in 2006e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e0“Pareuchaetes insulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)”
e1“With good, prolonged summer rains in 2006, the population increased dramatically”
Claim · model-written summary
Chromolaena plants within a 4 km radius of the release point, particularly in shady areas, were extensively defoliated and became yellow.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Interactor
- Pareuchaetes insulata
Pareuchaetes insulatae0biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- extensively defoliated and became yellow in colore1
- Setting
- within a 4 km radius of the release pointe1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e0“Pareuchaetes insulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)”
e1“plants within a 4 km radius of the release point, particularly in shady areas, were extensively defoliated and became yellow in color”
Claim · model-written summary
Chromolaena plant height was markedly decreased.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Interactor
- Pareuchaetes insulata
Pareuchaetes insulatae0biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- Plant heighte1
- Direction
- markedly decreasede1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e0“Pareuchaetes insulata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)”
e1“Plant height was markedly decreased”
Claim · model-written summary
In some places the Chromolaena plants were being outcompeted by other species.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Outcome
- outcompeted by other speciese1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e1“in some places the plants were being outcompeted by other species”
Claim · model-written summary
Indicators of the presence of P. insulata were recorded over 20 km away in either direction along the coast and 10 km inland.
- Taxon
- Chromolaena odorata
Chromolaena odoratat0 - Interactor
- P. insulata
Pareuchaetes insulatae1biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- Indicators of the presence of P. insulatae1
- Value
- over 20 km awaye1
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.


Verbatim
t0“Chromolaena odorata”
e1“Indicators of the presence of P. insulata were recorded over 20 km away in either direction along the coast and 10km inland”