A cohort of 210 African tulip beetles (Paradibolia coerulea) has arrived in Tonga to help control the invasive African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata). The beetles, delivered by a team from New Zealand’s Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, will be mass-reared at the Vaini Research Station in Tongatapu before being released at multiple sites around Vava’u.
The project, led by the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) under its Natural Enemies – Natural Solutions (NENS) Programme, aims to restore biodiversity in Tonga’s ecosystems. Lynley Hayes, PRISMSS NENS Programme lead, stated that the beetles have undergone extensive testing and were previously deployed in the Cook Islands.

Tonga’s National Invasive Species Co-ordinator, Viliami Hakaumotu, noted that the beetles would join gall-forming mites (Colomerus spathodeae), released in Vava’u in December 2023, to tackle the widespread African tulip tree. “The mites and beetles will work together to manage the tree where conventional methods are insufficient,” said Hakaumotu.
The African tulip tree, originally introduced as an ornamental plant, now threatens Tonga’s forests and agricultural land. This project, funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Global Environment Facility, is part of the larger Restoring Island Resilience Programme.
Source: Scoop Media