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Story: Insect pests of crops, pasture and forestry

Argentine stem weevil

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Argentine stem weevil

A parasitoid wasp (Microtonus hyperodae) attacks an Argentine stem weevil. The wasp lays an egg in the weevil, which makes the weevil sterile. The wasp was introduced to New Zealand from South America as a biological control agent in 1989.

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How to cite this page

Alison Popay, Insect pests of crops, pasture and forestry – Introduced pests of pasture foliage, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/17962/argentine-stem-weevil (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Alison Popay, published 1 March 2009.