Information

Agent

Hylobius transversovittatus (Goeze)

Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae

Agent Name References:
- Barbosa, P., S.M. Braxton, and A.E. Segarra-Carmona. 1994. A history of biological control in Maryland. Biological Control 4: 185-243.

Weed

Lythrum salicaria L.

Family: Lythraceae
Common Name: purple loosestrife

Origin: Europe, northern Africa, Asia

Weed Name References:
- Blossey, B. 2002. Purple Loosestrife. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 149-157.
- Coombs, E.M. 1997. Biological control of weeds in Oregon. Annual Report. Project summaries 1996. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, Salem, Oregon, USA. 33 pp.

Weed Common Name References:
- Blossey, B. 2002. Purple Loosestrife. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 149-157.
- Coombs, E.M. 1997. Biological control of weeds in Oregon. Annual Report. Project summaries 1996. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, Salem, Oregon, USA. 33 pp.

Weed Origin References:
- Blossey, B. 2002. Purple Loosestrife. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 149-157.

Release and Source Information

List: 1 - Exotic Organisms Intentionally Introduced

Source: Ex. Germany, Finland, Austria, France, Sweden, Switzerland
Year: 1992
Region: North America
Country: United States of America
Subregion of Country: CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI
Subregion specific:

Release History: CA 1996-1997 2000, CO 1993, MD NY PA 1992, OR WA 1992-1993, MN VA 1992, SD 1994, ID IL IN IA KS ME MT NE NH NJ OH RI TN WI 1995, MA MI UT VT 1996, ND 1997; Redistributed NY to CA 2001, MI to CA 2003 2004, CO to WA 2006; Redistributions ongoing in many states

Release Notes: Though the original colony was sourced from multiple European countries, the vast majority of individuals were sourced from Germany and Finland. Redistributions ongoing.

Source Information References:
- Barbosa, P., S.M. Braxton, and A.E. Segarra-Carmona. 1994. A history of biological control in Maryland. Biological Control 4: 185-243.
- Blossey, B. 1997. (personal communication) Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Hall, Ithaca, New York, United States of America.
- Brusven, P. 2013. (personal communication) Nez Perce Biocontrol Center, P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, Idaho 834540, USA.
- Coombs, E.M. 1997. Biological control of weeds in Oregon. Annual Report. Project summaries 1996. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, Salem, Oregon, USA. 33 pp.
- Coombs, E.M. 2013. (personal communication) Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301 USA.
- Hight, S.D., B. Blossey, J. Laing, and R. DeClercke-Floate. 1995. Establishment of insect biological control agents from Europe against Lythrum salicaria in North America. Environmental Entomology 24: 967-977.
- Joley, D.B., B. Villegas, M.J. Pitcairn, H.D. Riley, and J.V. Albright. 1997. Biological control of purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 1996 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, Sacramento, California. pp. 33.
- Piper, G.L., E.M. Coombs, B. Blossey, P.B. McEvoy, and S. Schooler. 2004. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria. In E.M. Coombs, J.K. Clark, G.L. Piper, and A.F. Cofrancesco, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the United States. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon. pp. 281-292.
- Villegas, B. and E. Coombs. 2001. Releases of biological control agents for the biological control of purple loosestrife in California. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 2000 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California, USA. pp. 53.
- Villegas, B. and D.B. Joley. 2002. Renewed biological control program against purple loosestrife in California. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 2001 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California, USA. pp. 40-41.
- Villegas, B. and K. Martyn. 2004. Release of Hylobius root weevils on purple loosestrife in California. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 2003 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California, USA. pp. 26.
- Villegas, B., C. Conley, G.W. Brown, and K. Martyn. 2005. Releases of four insects for the biological control of purple loosestrife during 2004 in California. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 2004 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California. pp. 40-41.
- Blossey, B. 2015. (personal communication) Department of Natural Resources, 211 Bruckner Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Original Host Species

Unknown

Establishment

Established: Yes
Established in Subregion of Country: CA, CO, ID, IN, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NY, OR, PA, UT, VA, WA, WY
Established in Subregion specific:

Establishment References:
- Blossey, B. 2002. Purple Loosestrife. In R. Van Driesche, S. Lyon, B. Blossey, M. Hoddle, and R. Reardon, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. FHTET-2002-04. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. pp. 149-157.
- Coombs, E.M. 1997. Biological control of weeds in Oregon. Annual Report. Project summaries 1996. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, Salem, Oregon, USA. 33 pp.
- Coombs, E.M. 2013. (personal communication) Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301 USA.
- Hight, S.D., B. Blossey, J. Laing, and R. DeClercke-Floate. 1995. Establishment of insect biological control agents from Europe against Lythrum salicaria in North America. Environmental Entomology 24: 967-977.
- Blossey, B., and S.B. Endriss. 2023. Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Agents: History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2023-28-PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE-A.
- Mendenhall, A. 2023. (personal communication) Utah Weed Supervisors Association, 47 S Main Tooele, Utah 84074 USA.

Abundance

Variable

Abundance References:
- Coombs, E.M. 2013. (personal communication) Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301 USA.
- Pitcairn, M. 2013. (personal communication) California Department of Food and Agriculture, Biological Control Program, 3288 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, California 95832 USA.
- Andreas, J.E., J. Milan, C. Randall, and J. Price. 2020. Biological Control. In E. Peachey, Ed. Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. pp. A1-A7.
- Endriss, S. 2020. (personal communication) Department of Natural Resources & the Environment, Fernow Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
- Blossey, B., and S.B. Endriss. 2023. Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Agents: History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2023-28-PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE-A.
- Mendenhall, A. 2023. (personal communication) Utah Weed Supervisors Association, 47 S Main Tooele, Utah 84074 USA.

Agent Impact

Impact: Medium
Geographic Scale of impact: Widespread throughout range
Impact Notes: Slower to disperse and reproduce than other established agents. Believed to have well established populations in OR, NY, and MN, and perhaps WA and ID, but information is largely limited elsewhere. Extensive root feeding by this agent complements defoliation by Galerucella spp., often resulting in significant decreases of Lythrum salicaria accompanied by increases of natives and other plant species. However, establishment and impact both difficult to assess as larvae are hidden feeders and adults are active at night.

Impact References:
- Blossey, B. 2013. (personal communication) Department of Natural Resources, 211 Bruckner Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
- Coombs, E.M. 2013. (personal communication) Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301 USA.
- Hight, S.D., B. Blossey, J. Laing, and R. DeClercke-Floate. 1995. Establishment of insect biological control agents from Europe against Lythrum salicaria in North America. Environmental Entomology 24: 967-977.
- Piper, G.L., E.M. Coombs, B. Blossey, P.B. McEvoy, and S. Schooler. 2004. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria. In E.M. Coombs, J.K. Clark, G.L. Piper, and A.F. Cofrancesco, Eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the United States. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon. pp. 281-292.
- Blossey, B., C.B. Randall, and M. Schwarzländer. 2015. Biology and Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife. FHTET-2015-03, 2nd Ed. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Enterprise Technology Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. 124 pp.
- Andreas, J.E., J. Milan, C. Randall, and J. Price. 2020. Biological Control. In E. Peachey, Ed. Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. pp. A1-A7.
- Blossey, B., and S.B. Endriss. 2023. Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Agents: History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2023-28-PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE-A.

Limiting Factors

None

Other Attack

Were other species attacked?: No
Other Species Attacked Notes:

Research Organizations

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (State (1))
California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento (State (14))
Oregon State Department of Agriculture, Salem (State (15))
Vermont Department of Environment and Conservation (State (30))
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison (State (31))
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St Paul (State (32))
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (State (34))
Illinois Nature Preserve Commission (State (37))
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (State (38))
Michigan Department of Natural Resources (State (39))
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (State (42))
Washington State University (State (9))
United States Department of Agriculture, United States of America (USDA)
Bozeman, Montana (USDA (10))
Davis, California (USDA (14))
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Notes