Bio_Control of Leafy Spurge in Support of Recovery of Species at Risk Year III (SAR Field Report 2003)

The Bio-Control of Leafy Spurge in Support of Recovery of Species at Risk project is a research, demonstration and outreach project concerned with identifying effective bio-control strategies for leafy spurge with the aim of reducing the negative impact on the western spiderwort. Initially, biocontrol involved two beetle species, the black leafy spurge flea beetle, Aphthona lacertosa and the black dot leafy spurge flea beetle, Aphthona nigriscutis. A. lacertosa prefers sites with a clay-loam soil in open areas. It will tolerate some shade, but not much. A. nigriscutis will tolerate sandier soils, and unlike the A. lacertosa, it requires full sun. The collection sites accessed for this season also contained Aphthona cyparissiae, the brown dot leafy spurge flea beetle. Like A. nigriscutis, it will tolerate lighter/sandier soils but not shade.