Countering the spread of the Asian hornet in Europe
A potentially game-changing approach used by CABI scientists in Switzerland could help populations detect Asian hornet nests and destroy them
Ruffling parrot’s feathers: the biological control of Myriophyllum aquaticum
Myriophyllum aquaticum, commonly known as parrot’s feather, is an invasive aquatic weed. It can have roots underwater in depths of up to 1.5 metres with shoots that appear 20-50cm above the water surface. This makes it both a submerged and emergent plant. It is native to South America but is a popular garden and aquarium…
Potential of parasitoid to control invasive fruit fly highlighted in study
Drosophila suzukii, commonly known as Spotted Wing Drosophila, is an invasive fruit fly native to Eastern Asia that was accidentally introduced to the Americas and Europe in the late 2000s. It has since spread rapidly causing damage to over 150 wild and cultivated fruits like cherries, blueberries, strawberries, and even the fruits of ornamental plants.
Busy in biocontrol: spotlight on weed researcher Jennifer Andreas
Meet Jennifer Andreas, who has collaborated with CABI on a number of biological control projects since 2000, in this profile originally published by the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA).
Invasive weeds in America’s Western states: restoring balance using biological control
In many of America’s Western states, invasive weeds such as houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale), Russian knapweed (Rhaponticum repens), yellow and Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria vulgaris and Linaria dalmatica), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), and hoary cress (Lepidium draba) are serious problems. However, research shows that biological control, as part of an integrated weed management strategy, offers the potential for a cost effective and efficient way of reducing invasive plant species to levels below acceptable damage thresholds.
Scientists debate how best to tackle invasive plants across Europe
Some of the world’s leading scientists in the field of alien invasive plants are to debate how best to tackle the scourge of a range of alien invasive plants – some of whose pollen can cause severe irritation in humans and threaten native ecosystems.
Classical biological control of Drosophila suzukii with Asian parasitoids
The soft-fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, or spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), is particularly difficult to control because of its short generation time and its very broad host range, including many wild and ornamental plants. The pest has been causing damage to fruit crop in Europe as well as North America where damages costing $500million were reported in…