How Important Is the Precise Matching of Provenance in Weed Biocontrol? A Case Study With <i>Acacia auriculiformis</i> Herbivores

ABSTRACT Matching the provenance of potential biological control agents with that of the invasive weed population is often considered crucial for biological control success, as it is argued that natural enemies from the same provenance will have local adaptations that make them more damaging to the weed than natural enemies from elsewhere. However, few studies have directly tested the importance of provenance matching. In this study, we conducted host testing to compare the fecundity and damage caused by Calomela intemerata Lea (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) beetles on Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn ex Benth. (Fabaceae) plants from different provenances. Calomela intemerata beetles from Queensland laid more eggs on the growing tips of plants from Queensland than on plants from other provenances. Likewise, adult beetles from Queensland caused significantly more damage to the growing tips of plants from Queensland than to plants from elsewhere. However, we observed some idiosyncratic results, and beetles laid significantly more eggs on non‐plant substrates than on the plants themselves, indicating more research is required to understand the oviposition behaviour of these beetles. Although our results support the idea that provenance matching may be important for these beetles, additional work is needed to understand the general significance of provenance matching in biological control.