Skip to content

Weed Biocontrol articles

  1. On the way to Solving a Prickly Problem

    Solanum torvum is known by many names, including pico, prickly solanum, turkey berry, and Devil’s fig, perhaps reflecting its status as a widespread problematic weed. This prickly shrub is currently considered a weed in 32 countries and a serious or principal weed in seven of them. Regions affected ...

  2. Refreshed Webpages and a Social Media Platform

    Last month the weed biocontrol team at MWLR moved further into digital science communication and social media. Recognising that digital platforms are a very important avenue for generating public awareness and perceptions of weed biocontrol, we have undertaken a restructuring of our website pages a...

  3. A New Tool for Prioritising Biocontrol Targets

    In New Zealand the number of native plant species (2,414) is outnumbered by the 2,430 naturalised, exotic plant species. Given such a high number of exotic plant species, the limited resources for tackling weed invasions must be prioritised effectively. The National Biocontrol Collective (NBC) is a ...

  4. Is Lagarosiphon a Good Target?

    Lagarosiphon is one of New Zealand’s worst invasive aquatic weeds, and it is the first aquatic plant to be targeted for biocontrol here. Native to southern Africa, lagarosiphon has become problematic in regions outside its native range where it was intentionally introduced as an ornamental, includin...

  5. Do Antagonistic Fungi Interfere with Successful Biocontrol?

    Weed biocontrol is one of the best weed management options, but the outcomes of weed biocontrol programmes are variable. Quantitative data documenting agent impact is often limited, with most reports of significant impact either anecdotal or subjective, but the most recent assessment suggests that 2...

  6. A Wasp for a Weedy Wattle

    We’re very excited to report that we have a new biocontrol agent in our midst. Dubbed ‘the friendliest wasp in the world’ by funder and collaborator Craig Davey (Horizons Regional Council), a bud-galling wasp (Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae) was released against Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longi...

  7. Autumn Activities

    Weed biocontrol activities to undertake this season

  8. It’s time to take on purple loosestrife

    Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) has been a tantalising biocontrol target for many years, but up until recently this weed was an eradication or progressive containment pest in all regions of the country. This work was undertaken by regional councils and unitary authorities as part of their loc...

  9. Aerial surveillance for detecting new weed incursions

    Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research (MWLR) was recently contracted by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Ministry for Primary Industries to collect aerial footage of a new invasive weed, sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias), which was seen along New Zealand’s West Coast for the first time in 201...

  10. Climate in the heather beetle story

    When surveying for candidate biocontrol agents, every effort is made to climate-match collection sites with the intended destination, but compromises often need to be made or best-case scenarios are not realised.