We have a small plantation of 1,100 mixed rainforest cabinet timber trees in the Mount Samson area. About 50% of the trees are blue quandong.

We had been aware for some time that something was skeletonising the leaves of the blue quandongs. In early May 2008 we noticed that some of the quandongs had been virtually defoliated.  A closer examination revealed the culprit to be a small green larvae. We also realised that virtually every quandong leaf in the plantation had at least some damage and that most leaves were more than half skeletonised. We tried to get the larvae identification but this was not so easy. Various entomologists and forestry experts were unable to provide a quick ID.

Samples of the moth were grown out from pupae collected from twigs in the understory and were sent to the CSIRO national insect collection. The species was found to be Pisara hyalospila. Very little is know of this insects biology - its life cycle, responses to temperature, generations per year etc.

In the mean time more trees were being defoliated and it looks like most are going that way. We also recall that this leaf damage had been around for some time and looking back through some photos it was present on the quandongs in late 2005 - so about two and a half years ago. We also found some pictures of it on White Beech taken in October 2003.

It is now evident with hindsight that the pest was increasing slowly and also debilitating the trees. We are now concerned that the defoliation will result in a slow recovery  - if at all for some trees.

We have identified some natural enemies but these have clearly not been able to restrict it to acceptable levels.

The defoliation will mean an end to the food source for the larva but we have found high numbers of pupating and pupated caterpillars on twigs in the understory and await more information to see when these may yield moths and start laying their eggs on new leaves in spring.