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Description
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Hiptage benghalensis (L.) Kurz is a woody vine species belonging to the family Malpighiaceae, native to India, Southeast Asia, and China (POWO, 2024). Owing to its attractive and fragrant flowers, it has been introduced and grown as an ornamental plant in many parts of the world, and has subsequently become invasive in all introduced areas, including Réunion, Mauritius (Friedmann, 2011), northern Australia (Queensland) (Csurhes, 2016; Weeds of Australia, 2016), Florida and Hawaii (Randall, 2002; Starr et al., 2003), and the Seychelles (Senterre & Dine, 2022). This plant species has been listed among the world's 100 most invasive species, posing a significant threat to native biodiversity (IUCN-International Union for Conservation of Nature; ISSG-Invasive Species Specialist Group). Réunion Island (France) - a biodiversity hotspot of the world (Myers et al., 2000). On the island, the species forms impenetrable thickets; vines choke large trees, cover plant canopies, block light, and inhibit native vegetation growth, leading to the establishment of monospecific colonies (Ahmed et al., 2017; Tassin et al., 2006; E. Rivière, pers. comm., 2023), threatening rare native plants (Robert et al., 2015; Ahmed et al., 2017).
To manage H. benghalensis in Réunion, various control methods, including mechanical, chemical, and combined approaches, have been tested (Hivért, 2003). A similar management attempt was also conducted in Australia (Vitelli et al., 2009); however, these methods were proved to be unfeasible due to plant regrowth, high costs, labor intensity, and long-term ineffectiveness. Given these challenges, biological control has been considered a promising, sustainable, and environmentally friendly solution. Among many types, classical biological control (CBC) refers to the deliberate release of a non-native natural enemy to sustainably reduce the population of a specific pest over the long term (Eilenberg et al., 2001; Kenis et al., 2017), is one of the most widely applied strategies for managing invasive species (Meyers & Cory, 2017). Therefore, a CBC program was initiated in its native range, Vietnam, in 2022 to search for potential arthropods and microorganisms to manage this plant in Réunion (Lam et al., 2023). Surveys recorded various arthropods on H. benghalensis and other species of the genus Hiptage, among which larvae of Burara oedipodea (Swainson) were commonly found and caused significant damage.
Burara oedipodea belongs to the genus Burara, that comprises two species and five subspecies. It was first described in 1820. It has been repeatedly recorded feeding on H. benghalensis (Young, 1993; Swinhoe, 1912 in Chiba, 1995), all records coming from the plant’s native range (GBIF.org, 2025). Besides, it has also been recorded feeding on a single additional plant species, Combretum latifolium (Chiba, 1995), which belongs to the family Combretaceae. Given this limited host range, Burara oedipodea is classified as a narrow oligophagous species. This dataset presents morphological characteristics of B. oedipodea reared on H. benghalensis plants. (2025-05-30)
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