The invasive Bedellia somnulentella (Lepidoptera: Bedelliidae): new record of host plant, predator and biome in Brazil

Bedellia somnulentella Zeller, 1847 (Lepidoptera: Bedelliidae), microlepidoptera leafminer of plants of the Convolvulaceae family, has Ipomoea batatas as its main commercial host. The distribution of this insect is cosmopolitan, with importance in different regions of the world. The aim was to report the occurrence of B. somnulentella in the Atlantic Forest, as well as its host plant and a predator, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Distimake dissectus var. edentatus (Convolvulaceae) plants was damaged in the Atlantic Forest biome in the municipality of Viçosa, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Agelaia vicina Saussure, 1854 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) fed on B. somnulentella caterpillars and pupae. The record of this insect on D. dissectus var. edentatus expands the number of its hosts in the Atlantic Forest. The record of the predator A. vicina increases the number of enemies and reinforces the importance of Vespidae to reducing populations of the leaf miner B. somnulentella in the field.