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Megastigmus transvaalensis

Brazilian peppertree seed chalcid - Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hussey) common name: Brazilian peppertree seed chalcid (Hussey) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Torymidae) Raddi (Anacardiaceae), is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil (Ewel et al. 1982). Introduced into Florida as a landscape ornamental in the late 19th century, the popularity of Brazilian peppertree as an ornamental plant was attributed to the numerous bright red drupes (or fruits) produced during the holiday season in Florida. Brazilian peppertree is now recognized as a highly invasive species that quickly dominates disturbed sites as well as natural communities where it forms dense thickets that completely shade out and displace native vegetation. Brazilian peppertree is one of the most widespread of Florida's invasive weed species (Schmitz 1994), and is considered an important threat to Florida biodiversity because it disrupts native plant and animal communities. Birds occasionally become intoxicated following ingestion of the drupes that remain on the trees for several months (Campello and Marsaioli 1974). Furthermore, volatiles produced by the flowers can cause sinus and nasal congestion in sensitive humans, and direct contact with the plant's sap can irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions similar to poison ivy. The distribution of Brazilian peppertree extends from the Florida Keys to Duval County on the east coast and to Levy County on the west coast of Florida (Wunderlin and Hansen 2000).

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