Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) (Apiaceae), a noxious Eurasian weed extensively naturalized throughout North America, is characteristically attacked by few insects. Over the past two decades, an introduced oecophorid caterpillar, Agonopterix alstroemeriana, has been reported infesting poison hemlock, its sole host in its area of indigeneity, in parts of the northeastern and western United States. We report for the first time evidence of established midwestern populations of this species. We also report poison hemlock as a host plant for the polyphagous lepidopterans Eupithecia miserulata, Trichoplusia ni, and Spilosoma virginica

Berenbaum, May R

Harrison, Terry L

English

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 27 Number 1 - Spring 1995 Number 1 - Spring 1995 Article 1 April 1995 Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock (Conium Maculatum) in East Central Illinois May R. Berenbaum University of Illinois Terry L. Harrison University of Illinois Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Berenbaum, May R. and Harrison, Terry L. 1995. "Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock (Conium Maculatum) in East Central Illinois," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 27 (1) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol27/iss1/1 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 1994 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST AGONOPTERIX ALSTROEMERIANA (OECOPHORIDAE) AND OTHER LEPIDOPTERAN ASSOCIATES OF POISON HEMLOCK (CONIUM MACULATUM) IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS May R. Berenbaum and Terry L Harrison 1 ABSTRACT Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) (Apiaceae), a noxious Eurasian weed extensively naturalized throughout North America, is characteristically attacked by few insects. Over the past two decades, an introduced oecophorid caterpillar, Agonopterix alstroemeriana, has been reported infesting poison hemlock, its sole host in its area of indigeneity, in parts of the northeastern and western United States. We report for the fi st time evidence of estab­lished midwestern populations of this species. We also report poison hemlock as a host pl nt for the polyphagous lepidopterans Eupithecia miserulata, Tri· choplusia ni, and Spilosoma virginica. Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum (Apiaceae), is a herbaceous Eurasian weed that is extensively naturalized in temperate North America, as well as in other parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and South Amer­ica (Parsons 1976, Holm et al. 1979). Commonly found in waste places along roads, ditches, and cultivated fields, it also occasionally invades riparian for­ests and flood plains (Goeden and Ricker 1982). The weed is generally regarded as noxious; all aerial parts are poisonous t livestock and to hum s (Sperry et al. 1964, Panter and Keeler 1989). Due to its toxicity, as well as to its rank odor and profuse growth, poison hemlock is frequently a target of eradication programs in populated areas. The toxicity of C. maculatum to vertebrates is largely attributable to its production of relatively high concentrations of coniine and related piperidine alkaloids, including methylconiine, coniceine, and conhydrine. Conium macu­latum is one of the few apiaceous species that produce alkaloids (Fairbairn 1971). The major alkaloids, coniine and g-coniceine, are found in all parts of the plant, with the highest amounts (over 1 % of the dry weight) in reproduc­tive tissues (Cromwell 1956, Khodzhimatov and Bobokhodzhaeva 1976). These alkaloids have long been known to be neurotoxic and have been impli­cated in many livestock poisonings (Bowman and Sanghvi 1963, Sperry et al 1964, Panter and Keeler 1989). Although when administered in artificial diet coniine was not toxic to Heliothis (=Helicoverpa) zea in laboratory bioassays (Nitao 1984, 1987), it does display toxic or deterrent properties to other insects (Mody et al. 1976, Bernays and Chapman 1977). In addition to alka­loids, poison hemlock foliage and flowering parts contain small quantities of furanocoumarins, phototoxic compounds that are toxic or deterrent t both IDept. Entomology, 320 Morrill Hall, University of Illinois, 505 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801-3795. 1Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other LepidoPublished by ValpoScholar, 19952 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 27, No.1 vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores (Berenbaum 1981, Murray et a11982, E. McCloud and M. Berenbaum, unpublished data), as well as polyacetylenes (Bohlmann 1971), which have been implicated in livestock poisoning in other apiaceous pl nts (Panter et al. 1988). Relative to other introduced weed species, poison hemlock is attacked byfew insect herbivores. In an extensive survey of poison hemlock in southern California, Goeden a d Ricker (1982) reported "amazingly few insect species or individuals thereof. A clear majority, 16 (70%) of the 20 phytophagous insect species found on this weed were rare and were only encountered as a few individuals at one or two sites." Of the relatively few native insect species that have colonized the plant extensively throughout its range, the majority arespecies that feed generally on native and introduced plants in the Apiaceae;these species include Papilw zelicaon Lucas (Goeden and Ricker 1982), P.polyxenes asterius Stoll (Feeny et a1 1985; personal observations) (Lepidop­tera: Papilionidae), and Euleia fratria (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Beren­baum 1981; personal observations). The most abundant insect associate of the plant in California is an aphid, Hyadaphis foeniculi (Passerini), introduced from Europe, where it also feeds on poison hemlock (Goeden and Ricker 1982). Recently, another European specialist on poison hemlock as been found in the United States. Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Clerck), a leaf-rolling oecophorid caterpillar that feeds exclusively on poison hemlock in its native Europe, was first found on flowers and foliage of poison hemlock in Tompkins County, New York in 1973 (Berenbaum and Passoa 1983); it was subsequently reported in 1983 in northern California, Oregon, and Utah and by- 1987 was established in mesic areas of Washington, Idaho, and Colorado (Powell and Passoa 1991). An adult A. alstroemeriana collected in 1990 near Columbus, Ohio, marks the first appearance of this species in the Midwest (Powell and Passoa 1991). In this paper, we report for the first time the presence of established populations of A. alstroemeriana in Illinois, and we confirm the use of C. maculatum as a host plant by several other lepidopteran species. These find­ings are of int rest not only in the context of understanding patterns of colonization of alien weeds in general, but also in the context of evaluating the prospects of successful biological control of this noxious plant. MATERIALS AND METHODS Despite annual inspection of C. maculatum in east central Illinois from 1981 to 1990 (M. Berenbaum, J. Nitao, and S. Passoa, personal observations), no evidence of th presence of A. alstroemeriana could be found before 1993. On 18 June 993, however, inspection of foliage in two locations (Urbana Yard Waste reclamation site; railroad right-of-way, Route 150, 6 km northeast of Urbana) in Champaign County, IL, revealed he characteristic leaf rolls of A. alstroemeriana on C. maculatum. At both sites, leaf rolls could be found on virtually every plant. Leaf rolls were collected intact and brought to the labo­ratory for examination. Although most of the leaf rolls were empty, a single ultimate instar A. alstroemeriana larva was found. This caterpillar was mori­bund (possibly parasitized), died shortly after collection, and was preserved in 70% ethanol for identification. Further inspection over the next two weeks at these two sites, as well as at two other Champaign County sites (Boneyard Creek, Campustown, Champaign, IL; Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District sewage lagoon, north ast Urbana. IL), failed to reveal any other larvae of this species, although leaf rolls were found in abundance at the sewage lagoon site. On 5 August 1993, an adult female A. alstroemeriana, confirmed by genitalia, 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 27, No. 1 [1995], Art. 1https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol27/iss1/11994 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOlOGIST 3 was collected inside a house northeast of Urbana, IL approximately midway between th sewage lagoon and railroad poison hemlock populations. At all sites, all lepidopteran larvae that were found on C. maculatum were collected and reared. Larvae were fed foliage collected at or near the collection sites; foliage was replaced as needed. With the exception of the single A. alstroemeriana larva, all larvae that were collected were reared to adulthood; in cases where identification could not be made on the basis of external mor­phological features, genitalic dissections were prepared and examined. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION This report marks the first record of established populations of A. alstroemeriana, as evidenced by both larval and adult collections, in the mid­western region. The absence of prior records of its occurrence in east central Illinois, despite regular inspection of its host plant, suggests tha it has only recently become established in this part of the country. This colonization likely represents overland expansion of the range of this species from the northeastern United States, inasmuch as there are very few waterways of any significance within a 100-mile radius of Champaign County to allow for direct introduction via inadvertent human transport from Europe or from the other established western North American populations. The recent discovery of this moth in Ohio (Powell and Passoa 1991) IS consistent with overland expansion from the Northeast. As pointed out by Powell and Passoa (1991), A. alstroeme­riana appears to be capable of extremely rapid colonization; the tremendous abundance of leaf rolls in several different sites in eas central Illinois that lacked any sign of infestation as recently as three years ago is consistent with either multiple independent colonization events or with high reproductive potential ~d local dispersal. Three other species of Lepidoptera were collected as larvae and reared on poison hemlock. Two individuals of Eupithecia miserulata Grote (Geometri­dae), collected at the Urbana yard waste collection site on 21 June 1993, subsequently pupated and emer~ed on 9 and 13 July 1993; one specimen of Trichoplusia ni (Hiibner) (NoctUldae), collected at Urbana-Champaign Sani­tary District sewage lagoon on 13 June, emerged on 27 July 1993; and two Spilosoma virginica (F.) (Arctiidae) were collected at the Urbana yard waste reclamation site on 21 Ju e 1993, and emerged in the laboratory on 11 and 12 July 1993. Of these three species, E. miserulata and T. ni have been reported previously on poison hemlock in California (Goeden and Rickers 1982). Although poison hemlock appears to be a newly recorded host for Spilosomavirginica, this insect is a broadly polyphagous feeder associated WIth many other toxic plants (Tietz 1972) and hus might be expected to feed on poison hemlock as well. Poison hemlock has been established in Illinois for over 100 years (Vasey 1861, Patterson 1876, Jones and Fuller 1955). In east central Illinois, records of poison hemlock date back at least 80 years; specimens from "waste places" in Peoria (Brendel 1882) were acquired by the University of Illinois Herbarium in 1906. Despite th fact that the plant is locally extremely abundant, inter­mittent inspection over the last decade has consistently revealed few insect associates of this plant and little leaf damage by herbivores. This same pat­tern has been documented in other parts of the United States -by Beren­baum (1981) in central New York and by Goeden and Rickers (1982) in south­ern California. The failure of lepidopteran larvae to colonize this plant in large numbers may be attributable to its broad array of chemical defenses. Evi­dently, bowever, populations of poison hemlock in several localities in the 3Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other LepidoPublished by ValpoScholar, 19954 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 27, No.1 United States are now experiencing unprecedented levels of herbivory due to colonization by and population growth of A alstroemeriana. It would be of great ecological and evolutionary interest to monitor changes in plant second­ary compounds that may accompany this colonization. The patchy distribu­tion of A. alstroemeriana populations in east central Illinois, and presumably other localities in th midwestern states where this insect has invaded, mayprovide an opportunity to quantify the selective impact of a newly resumed association of this plant with an abundant herbivore. Baseline information on the chemistry of poison hemlock populations free from A alstroemeriana can be obtained and compared with populations in which A alstroemeriana is newly established in order to determine definitively under field conditions whether herbivores can reduce plant fitness and at the same time select for chemically based resistance factors (Berenbaum et al. 1986). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS All specimens from this study have been deposited in the Illinois Natural History Survey entomology collection. We thank Mark Carroll, Ellen Green, and Amanda Nadulski for diligent collecting efforts, Almut Jones of the UIUC Herbarium for assistance tracking down the history of Illinois poison hemlock, and Steven Passoa, of USDA APHIS/PPQ, as well as two anony­mous reviewers, for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by NSF DEB91-19612. LITERATURE CITED Berenbaum, M. 1981. Furanocoumarin distribution and insect herbivory in the Umbelli­ferae: plant' chemistry and community structure. Ecology 62:1254-1266. Berenbaum, M. and S. Passoa. 1983. Notes on the biology of Agonopterix alstroeme­riana (Clerck), with descriptions of the immature stages (Oecophoridae). J. Lepid. Soc. 37:38-45. Berenbaum, M. R., A. R. Zangerl, and J. K. Nitao. 1986. Constraints on chemical coevo­lution; wild parsnips and the parsnip webworm. Evolution 40:1215-1228. Bernays. E. A. and R. F. Chapman. 1977. Deterrent chemicals as a basis of oligophagy in Locusta migratoria (L.). Ecol. Entomol. 2:1-18. Bohlmann, F. 1971. Acetylenic compounds in the Umbelliferae. pp. 279-291. In: V. H. Heywood, ed. The Biology and Chemistry of the Umbelliferae. Academic Press, New York. Brendel, F. 1882. Flora Peoriana. Franklin-Verein, Budapest. Bowman, W. C. and I. S. Sanghvi. 1963. Pharmacological actions of hemlock (Conium maculatum) alkaloids. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 15:1-25. Cromwell, B. T. 1956. The separation, micro-estimation and distribution of the alkaloids of hemlock (Conium maculatum L.J. Biochem. J. 64:259-266. Fairbairn, J. W. 1971. The alkaloids of hemlock (Conium maculatum L.) (or Conium maculatum L.: the odd man out). pp. 361-368. In: V. H. Heywood (ed.l. The Biology and Chemistry of the Umbelliferae. Academic Press, New York. Feeny. P., W. S. Blau, and P. M. Kareiva. 1985. Larval growth and survivorship of the black swallowtail butterfly in central New York. Ecol. Monogr. 55:167-187. Goeden, R. D. and D. W. Ricker 1982. Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum, in southern California an alien weed attacked by few insects. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 75:173-176. Holm, L .• J. V. Pancho, J. P. Herberger, and D. L. Plucknett. 1979. A Geographical Atlas of World Weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 4The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 27, No. 1 [1995], Art. 1https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol27/iss1/11994 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 5 Jones, G. N. and G. D. Fuller 1955. Vascular Plants of Illinois. University of Illinois, Urbana. Khodzhimatov, M. and S. Bobokhodzhaeva. 1976. Content and qualitative composition of biologically active substances in Conium maculatum L. Izv. Akad. Nauk Tadzh. SSR, Otd. BioI. Nauk 2:81-86. Mody, N. V., R. Henson, P. A. Hedin, U. Kokpol, and D. H. Miles. 1976. Isolation of the insect paralyzing agent coniine from Sarracenia {lava. Experientia 32:829-830. Murray, R. D. H., J. Mendez, and S. A. Brown. 1982. The Natural Coumarins. J Wiley & Sons, Chichester. Nitao, J. K. 1984. Coniine toxicity and deterrency in Heliothis zea. M.S. Thesis, Univer­sity of Illinois, Urbana. 1987. Test for toxicity of coniine to a polyphagous herbivore, Heli this zea. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Environ. Ent. 16:656-659. Panter, K. E. and R. F. Keeler, 1989. Piperidine alkaloids of poison hemlock (Conium maculatum). pp. 109-132. In: P. R. Cheeke, ed. Toxicants of Plant Origin. Vol. 1. Alkaloids. CRC Press, Boca Raton. Panter, K. E.• R. F. Keeler, and D. C. Baker. 1988. Toxicoses in livestock from the hemlocks (Conium and Cicuta spp.). J. Anim. Sci. 66:2407-2413. Parsons, W. T. 1976. Noxious weeds of Victoria. Inkata, Melbourne. Patterson, H. N. 1876 Catalogue of phaenogamous and vascular cryptogamous plants of Illinois. Published by author, Oquawka (Illinois). Powell, J. A. and S. Passoa. 1991. Rapid colonization of the western United States by the palearctic moth, Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae). J. Lepid. Soc. 45:234-246. Sperry, O. E., J. W. Dollahite, G. O. Hoffman, and B. J. Camp. 1964. Texas plants poisonous to livestock. Texas A & M Agric. Expt. Stn. Pub!. lOM-12-64, p. 19. Tietz, H.M. 1972. An Index to the Described Life Histories. Early Stages and Hosts of the Macrolepidoptera of the Continental United States and Canada. A. C. Allyn. Sarasota. Vasey, G. 1861. Additions to the flora f Illinois. Trans. Ill. Nat. Hist. Soc. 1:139-143. 5Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other LepidoPublished by ValpoScholar, 1995

\u3ci\u3eAgonopterix Alstroemeriana\u3c/i\u3e (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock \u3ci\u3e(Conium Maculatum)\u3c/i\u3e in East Central Illinois

May R Berenbaum

Terry L Harrison

Crossref

 in East Central Illinois

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 27 
Number 1 - Spring 1995 Number 1 - Spring 1995 Article 1 
April 1995 
Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other 
Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock (Conium 
Maculatum) in East Central Illinois 
May R. Berenbaum 
University of Illinois 
Terry L. Harrison 
University of Illinois 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Berenbaum, May R. and Harrison, Terry L. 1995. "Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other 
Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock (Conium Maculatum) in East Central Illinois," The Great 
Lakes Entomologist, vol 27 (1) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol27/iss1/1 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
1994 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 
AGONOPTERIX ALSTROEMERIANA (OECOPHORIDAE) AND OTHER 

LEPIDOPTERAN ASSOCIATES OF POISON HEMLOCK (CONIUM 

MACULATUM) IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS 

May R. Berenbaum and Terry L Harrison 1 
ABSTRACT 
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) (Apiaceae), a noxious Eurasian weed 
extensively naturalized throughout North America, is characteristically 
attacked by 
few insects. Over 
the past two decades, an introduced oecophorid 
caterpillar, Agonopterix alstroemeriana, has been reported infesting poison 
hemlock, its sole host in its area of indigeneity, in parts of the northeastern 
and western United States. We report for the fi st time evidence of estab­
lished midwestern populations of this species. We also report poison hemlock 
as a host pl nt for the polyphagous lepidopterans Eupithecia miserulata, Tri· 
choplusia ni, and Spilosoma virginica. 
Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum (Apiaceae), is a herbaceous Eurasian 
weed that is extensively naturalized in temperate North America, as well as in 
other parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and South Amer­
ica (Parsons 1976, Holm et al. 1979). Commonly found in waste places along 
roads, ditches, and cultivated fields, it also occasionally invades riparian for­
ests 
and 
flood plains (Goeden and Ricker 1982). The weed is generally 
regarded as noxious; all aerial parts are poisonous t livestock and to hum s 
(Sperry et al. 1964, Panter and Keeler 1989). Due to its toxicity, as well as to 
its rank 
odor and profuse growth, poison hemlock is frequently a 
target of 
eradication programs in populated areas. 
The toxicity of C. maculatum to vertebrates is largely attributable to its 
production of relatively high concentrations of coniine and related piperidine 
alkaloids, including methylconiine, coniceine, and conhydrine. Conium macu­
latum is one of the few apiaceous species that produce alkaloids (Fairbairn 
1971). The major alkaloids, coniine and g-coniceine, are found in all parts of 
the 
plant, with 
the highest amounts (over 1 % of the dry weight) in reproduc­
tive tissues (Cromwell 1956, Khodzhimatov and Bobokhodzhaeva 1976). 
These alkaloids have long been known to be neurotoxic and have been impli­
cated 
in many livestock poisonings (Bowman 
and Sanghvi 1963, Sperry et al 
1964, Panter and Keeler 1989). Although when administered in artificial diet 
coniine was not toxic to Heliothis (=Helicoverpa) zea in laboratory bioassays 
(Nitao 1984, 1987), it does display toxic or deterrent properties to other 
insects (Mody et al. 1976, Bernays and Chapman 1977). In addition to alka­
loids, poison hemlock foliage and flowering parts contain small quantities of 
furanocoumarins, phototoxic compounds that are toxic or deterrent t both 
IDept. Entomology, 320 Morrill Hall, University of Illinois, 505 S. Goodwin, 
Urbana, IL 61801-3795. 
1
Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepido
Published by ValpoScholar, 1995
2 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 27, No.1 
vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores (Berenbaum 1981, Murray et a11982, 
E. 
McCloud 
and M. Berenbaum, unpublished data), as well as polyacetylenes 
(Bohlmann 1971), which have been implicated in livestock poisoning in other 
apiaceous pl nts (Panter et al. 1988). 
Relative to other introduced weed species, poison hemlock is attacked by
few insect herbivores. In an extensive survey of poison hemlock in southern 
California, Goeden a d Ricker (1982) reported "amazingly few insect species or 
individuals thereof. A clear majority, 16 (70%) of the 20 phytophagous insect 
species found on this weed were rare and were only encountered as a few 
individuals at one or two sites." Of the relatively few native insect species that 
have colonized the plant extensively throughout its range, the majority are
species that feed generally on native and introduced plants in the Apiaceae;
these 
species include Papilw zelicaon Lucas (Goeden 
and Ricker 1982), P.
polyxenes asterius Stoll (Feeny et a1 1985; personal observations) (Lepidop­
tera: Papilionidae), and Euleia fratria (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Beren­
baum 
1981; personal observations). 
The most abundant insect associate of the 
plant 
in California 
is an aphid, Hyadaphis foeniculi (Passerini), introduced 
from Europe, where it also feeds on poison hemlock (Goeden and Ricker 1982). 
Recently, another European specialist on poison hemlock as been found 
in the United States. Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Clerck), a leaf-rolling 
oecophorid caterpillar that feeds exclusively on poison hemlock in its native 
Europe, was first found on flowers and foliage of poison hemlock in Tompkins 
County, New York in 1973 (Berenbaum and Passoa 1983); it was subsequently 
reported in 1983 in northern California, Oregon, and Utah and by- 1987 was 
established in mesic areas of Washington, Idaho, and Colorado (Powell and 
Passoa 
1991). 
An adult A. alstroemeriana collected in 1990 near Columbus, 
Ohio, marks the first appearance of this species in the Midwest (Powell and 
Passoa 
1991). In this 
paper, we 
report for the first time the presence of established 
populations of A. alstroemeriana in Illinois, and we confirm the use of C. 
maculatum as a host plant by several other lepidopteran species. These find­
ings are of int rest not only in the context of understanding patterns of 
colonization of alien weeds in general, but also in the context of evaluating the 
prospects of successful biological control of this noxious plant. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
Despite annual inspection of 
C. maculatum in east central Illinois from 
1981 to 1990 (M. Berenbaum, J. Nitao, and S. Passoa, personal observations), 
no evidence of th presence of A. alstroemeriana could be found before 1993. 
On 18 June 993, however, inspection of foliage in two locations (Urbana Yard 
Waste reclamation site; railroad right-of-way, Route 150, 6 km northeast of 
Urbana) in Champaign County, IL, revealed he characteristic leaf rolls of A. 
alstroemeriana on C. maculatum. At both sites, leaf rolls could be found on 
virtually every plant. Leaf rolls were collected intact and brought to the labo­
ratory 
for examination. Although 
most of the leaf rolls were empty, a single 
ultimate instar A. alstroemeriana larva was found. This caterpillar was mori­
bund 
(possibly parasitized), died 
shortly after collection, and was preserved in 
70% ethanol for identification. Further inspection over the next two weeks at 
these two sites, as well as at two other Champaign County sites (Boneyard 
Creek, Campustown, Champaign, IL; Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District 
sewage lagoon, north ast Urbana. IL), failed to reveal any other larvae of this 
species, although leaf rolls were found in abundance at the sewage lagoon site. 
On 5 August 1993, an adult female A. alstroemeriana, confirmed by genitalia, 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 27, No. 1 [1995], Art. 1
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol27/iss1/1
1994 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOlOGIST 3 
was collected inside a house northeast of Urbana, IL approximately midway 
between th sewage lagoon and railroad poison hemlock populations. 
At 
all sites, all lepidopteran larvae 
that were found on C. maculatum were 
collected and reared. Larvae were fed foliage collected at or near the collection 
sites; foliage was replaced as needed. With the exception of the single A. 
alstroemeriana larva, all larvae that were collected were reared to adulthood; 
in cases where identification could not be made on the basis of external mor­
phological features, genitalic dissections were prepared and examined. 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
This report marks the first record of established populations of A. 
alstroemeriana, as evidenced by both larval and adult collections, in the mid­
western region. The absence of prior records of its occurrence in east central 
Illinois, despite regular inspection of its host plant, suggests tha it has only 
recently become established in this part of the country. This colonization 
likely represents overland expansion of the range of this species from the 
northeastern United States, inasmuch as there are very few waterways of any 
significance within a 100-mile radius of Champaign County to allow for direct 
introduction via inadvertent human transport from Europe or from the other 
established western North American populations. The recent discovery of this 
moth in Ohio (Powell and Passoa 1991) IS consistent with overland expansion 
from the Northeast. As pointed out by Powell and Passoa (1991), A. alstroeme­
riana appears to be capable of extremely rapid colonization; the tremendous 
abundance of leaf rolls in several different sites in eas central Illinois that 
lacked any sign of infestation as recently as three years ago is consistent with 
either multiple independent colonization events or with high reproductive 
potential ~d local dispersal. 
Three other species of Lepidoptera were collected as larvae and reared on 
poison hemlock. Two individuals of Eupithecia miserulata Grote (Geometri­
dae), collected at the Urbana yard waste collection site on 21 June 1993, 
subsequently pupated and emer~ed on 9 and 13 July 1993; one specimen of 
Trichoplusia ni (Hiibner) (NoctUldae), collected at Urbana-Champaign Sani­
tary 
District sewage lagoon on 
13 June, emerged on 27 July 1993; and two 
Spilosoma virginica (F.) (Arctiidae) were collected at the Urbana yard waste 
reclamation site on 21 Ju e 1993, and emerged in the laboratory on 11 and 12 
July 
1993. Of these three species, 
E. miserulata and T. ni have been reported 
previously on poison hemlock in California (Goeden and Rickers 1982). 
Although poison hemlock appears to be a newly recorded host for Spilosoma
virginica, this insect is a broadly polyphagous feeder associated WIth many 
other toxic plants (Tietz 1972) and hus might be expected to feed on poison 
hemlock as well. 
Poison hemlock has been established in Illinois for over 100 years (Vasey 
1861, Patterson 1876, Jones and Fuller 1955). In east central Illinois, records 
of 
poison hemlock 
date back at least 80 years; specimens from "waste places" 
in Peoria (Brendel 1882) were acquired by the University of Illinois Herbarium 
in 1906. Despite th fact that the plant is locally extremely abundant, inter­
mittent 
inspection over the 
last decade has consistently revealed few insect 
associates of this plant and little leaf damage by herbivores. This same pat­
tern 
has been documented in other 
parts of the United States -by Beren­
baum (1981) in central New York and by Goeden and Rickers (1982) in south­
ern California. The failure of lepidopteran larvae to colonize this plant in large 
numbers may be attributable to its broad array of chemical defenses. Evi­
dently, bowever, populations of poison hemlock in several localities in the 
3
Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepido
Published by ValpoScholar, 1995
4 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 27, No.1 
United States are now experiencing unprecedented levels of herbivory due to 
colonization by and population growth of A alstroemeriana. It would be of 
great 
ecological and evolutionary 
interest to monitor changes in plant second­
ary compounds that may accompany this colonization. The patchy distribu­
tion of A. alstroemeriana populations in east central Illinois, and presumably 
other localities in th midwestern states where this insect has invaded, may
provide an opportunity to quantify the selective impact of a newly resumed 
association of this plant with an abundant herbivore. Baseline information on 
the 
chemistry of poison hemlock populations free from 
A alstroemeriana can 
be 
obtained and compared 
with populations in which A alstroemeriana is 
newly established in order to determine definitively under field conditions 
whether herbivores can reduce plant fitness and at the same time select for 
chemically based resistance factors (Berenbaum et al. 1986). 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
All specimens from this study have been deposited in the Illinois Natural 
History Survey entomology collection. We thank Mark Carroll, Ellen Green, 
and Amanda Nadulski for diligent collecting efforts, Almut Jones of the 
UIUC Herbarium for assistance tracking down the history of Illinois poison 
hemlock, and Steven Passoa, of USDA APHIS/PPQ, as well as two anony­
mous reviewers, for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported 
by NSF DEB91-19612. 
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5
Berenbaum and Harrison: Agonopterix Alstroemeriana (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepido
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\u3ci\u3eAgonopterix Alstroemeriana\u3c/i\u3e (Oecophoridae) and Other Lepidopteran Associates of Poison Hemlock \u3ci\u3e(Conium Maculatum)\u3c/i\u3e in East Central Illinois

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