Tracking fluctuations of <i>Neomusotima conspurcatalis</i> populations

Lygodium microphyllum (Lygodiaceae) is an invasive vine that has invaded natural areas in Florida. The USDA-ARS Invasive Plant Research Laboratory mass rears and releases two biological control agents to help manage L. microphyllum infestations, one is the moth Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepitoptera: Crambidae). As part of the mass rearing of the biological control agent surveys are completed to monitor agent populations and to quantify their impact on L. microphyllum growth. This dataset contains the results of random search surveys from April 2018 to Sept 2021. In April 2018, permanent transect start points were established for timed searches at four monitoring sites to quantify agent impact. Time searches utilizes two surveyors that non-systematically explored the L. microphyllum patch for 15 minutes (for a total of 30 minutes) looking for and inspecting for feeding damage, larvae, and adults.​ To determine whether biological control agents establish self-perpetuating field populations in addition to the timed searches monthly monitoring of N. conspurcatalis capsule traps that incorporated the pheromones from pupae were deployed. Use of the capsule traps was suspended in March of 2020.Partially funded by the USDA through the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) (USDA agreement 58-6032-1-001), through the through Southwest Florida Water Management District (USDA agreement 58-6032-3-003), and through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (USDA agreement 58-6032-9-008).

                                            [
  "005:18"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "fn": "Dray Jr., F. Allen",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:allen.dray@usda.gov"
}
                                        

                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Fluctuations in Neo.xlsx",
    "format": "xlsx",
    "mediaType": "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet",
    "downloadURL": "https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/53785844"
  }
]
                                        

                                            [
  "Neomusotima conspurcatalis",
  "USDA",
  "biological control",
  "ferns",
  "invasive species",
  "moths",
  "pheromones"
]
                                        

                                            [
  "005:040"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "name": "Agricultural Research Service",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}