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ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » LAPRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359905
Title: Establishment of Arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana, at Big Bend National Park

Author
item Goolsby, John
item MCKINNEY, BONNIE - Non ARS Employee
item LARSON, DAVID - Big Bend National Park
item BENNETT, JEFFERY - Big Bend National Park

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2018
Publication Date: 3/1/2019
Citation: Goolsby, J., McKinney, B., Larson, D., Bennett, J. 2019. Establishment of Arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana, at Big Bend National Park. Southwestern Entomologist. 44(1):321-322. https://doi.org/10.3958/059.044.0134.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3958/059.044.0134

Interpretive Summary: The arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana Walker, is a host specific, stem galling wasp and biological control agent of Arundo donax L. which is an invasive weed in the Rio Grande Basin. Tetramesa romana has recently become established in the upper reach of the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park in Brewster Co., Texas from releases made by USDA-ARS in 2017. Surveys had been conducted from 2008-2013 and no wasps were present in this remote reach of the Rio Grande. The establishment of the Arundo wasp in Big Bend is significant because we expect the wasp to spread and cause significant damage to A. donax throughout the Trans-Pecos region and into Mexico along the Rio Conchos River where this weed is invasive.

Technical Abstract: The arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana Walker, is a host specific, stem galling wasp and biological control agent of Arundo donax L. which is an invasive weed in the Rio Grande Basin. Tetramesa romana has recently become established in the upper reach of the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park in Brewster Co., Texas. The arundo wasp has been established on the lower reach of the Rio Grande between Ciudad Acuña, Coah./Del Rio, TX and Matamoros, Tamps./Brownsville, TX since 2009 where it has reduced biomass of A. donax, and has led to increased abundance of native plant species in the riparian zone. Impacts of T. romana have been greatest between Laredo and Brownsville, TX where annual heat units are above 5000. Previous surveys conducted on the upper reach of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park in 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2018, and we found no evidence of T. romana. Geographically, infestations of A. donax in Big Bend are isolated and T. romana is not able to naturally disperse into this area from the lower reach of the Rio Grande. Releases of T. romana were made within mature stands of A. donax along the Rio Grande at four sites in Big Bend National Park and and La Linda, TX in November 2017 and again at the Big Bend sites April 2018. One year after releases, wasp exit holes and galls were found in A.donax stands at Big Bend National Park. This indicates that T. romana survived for a full year at the release site. The wasp is expected to spread along the Rio Grande in Big Bend at 25 river-km per year. Heat units in Big Bend are lower at 3200 as compared to Brownsville at 5200, but still higher than locations in Ventura, CA and Mediterranean Europe at 2000. Therefore, we expect that over time T. romana will cause significant impacts to A. donax in Big Bend National Park.