Florida Entomologist (2013) 96, 180-186

Ted D. Center, Katherine Parys, Mike Grodowitz, Gregory S. Wheeler, F. Allen Dray, Charles W. O'Brien, Seth Johnson and Al Cofrancesco (2013)
Evidence of establishment of Bagous hydrillae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a biological control agent of Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitales: Hydrocharitaceae) in North America?
Florida Entomologist 96 (1), 180-186
Abstract: The semi-aquatic weevil Bagous hydrillae was released during 1991-1996 at 19 sites in 4 states in attempts to control the aquatic weed hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata. Fourteen of the sites were in Florida, 2 each in Texas and Georgia and one site in Alabama. Over 320,000 adult weevils were included in these releases. Despite the fact that a few adults were recovered as late as 4.5 yr post-release, presence of permanent, self-perpetuating populations was never confirmed. Then, during 2009 adult B. hydrillae were collected in southern Louisiana, at least 580 km from the nearest release site and 13 yr after attempts to establish this insect had terminated. This suggests that earlier recoveries were indicative of successful establishment and that this weevil species has persisted and dispersed widely in the southeastern USA. Nonetheless, there is no evidence that B. hydrillae has had a suppressive effect on hydrilla.
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Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Ted D. Center, Katherine A. Parys, Michael J. Grodowitz

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
classical biocontrol/new introduction
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Hydrilla verticillata (weed)		U.S.A. (mid S)
Bagous hydrillae (weed bioagent)	Hydrilla verticillata (weed)		U.S.A. (mid S)