Bdellodes lapidaria (Kramer)

Bdella lapidaria Kramer, 1881: 444 .

Biscirus lapidarius: Womersley, 1933b: 85; 1933c: 106.

Thoribdella lapidaria: Atyeo & Tuxen, 1962: 295 .

Bdellodes lapidaria: Atyeo, 1963a: 133; 1963b: 188; Wallace & Mahon, 1976: 70; Gerson & Smiley, 1990: 54; Gerson et al., 2003: 94.

Specimens examined: Site 94­2, 1 female, 1 male, 2 N; Site 94­14, 1 female; Site 94­31, 1 female, 1 male; Site 94­33, 1 female, 1 male; Site 99­17, 1 female.

Bdellodes lapidaria is widespread in Europe, and was first observed in Western Australia in 1931, where it appears to have been accidentally introduced (Womersley, 1933a, b). It was quickly shown to be beneficial in helping to control the pest collembolan Sminthurus viridis L. (Womersley, 1933a; Gerson & Smiley, 1990; Gerson et al., 2003). It was deliberately redistributed (Currie, 1934), and was later found to be widespread in southern Australia and New Zealand (Atyeo, 1963a, b; Wallace & Mahon, 1971). It was subsequently introduced from Australia into South Africa in an attempt to control the same pest (Wallace & Walters, 1974). B. lapidaria was found only in low numbers during the recent surveys.