Information

Agent

Nanophyes marmoratus (Goeze)

Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Nanophyidae

Agent 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.

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. France & Germany
Year: 1994
Region: North America
Country: United States of America
Subregion of Country: CA, CO, CT, IA, ID, IN, MN, NE, NJ, NY, OR, PA, SD, WA, WI
Subregion specific:

Release History: CO 1995, MN NY OR 1994, NJ 1996-1997, SD WI 1997, CT IA NE year unknown; Redistributed OR to CA 1997-2002 2004, OR to WA 1996 2010, OR to NY 2010, NY to IN and PA 2003-2005, unknown source to ID 2000-2001

Release Notes:

Source Information References:
- Blossey, B. 1997. (personal communication) Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Hall, Ithaca, New York, United States of America.
- Blossey, B. 2013. (personal communication) Department of Natural Resources, 211 Bruckner Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, 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.
- Littlefield, J.L. 1997. (personal communication) Dept. Land Resources & Environmental Sciences Montana State University PO Box 173120 Bozeman, Montana 59717-3120, USA.
- Parker, P.E., R.D. Richard, and L.E. Wendel. 2000. Biological control of purple loosestrife-cooperative implementation. In N.R. Spencer, Ed. Proceedings of the X International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. 4-14 July 1999, Bozeman, Montana, USA; Montana State University pp. 428-429.
- Piper, G.L. 1997. (personal communication) Washington State University, Department of Entomology, Pullman, Washington 99164-6382, United States of America.
- 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.
- Sutherland, D. 2013. Unpublished data. Nez Perce Biocontrol Center, P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, Idaho 834540, USA.
- Villegas, B. 2003. Progress on the biological control program against purple loosestrife in California. In D.M. Woods, Ed. Biological Control Program 2002 Annual Summary. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California, USA. pp. 38.
- 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., 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.

Original Host Species

Unknown

Establishment

Established: Yes
Established in Subregion of Country: CA, CO, ID, IN, MN, MT, NJ, NY, OR, PA, UT, WA, WI
Established in Subregion specific:

Establishment References:
- Blossey, B. 1997. (personal communication) Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, Fernow Hall, Ithaca, New York, United States of America.
- 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.
- Blossey, B. 2013. (personal communication) Department of Natural Resources, 211 Bruckner Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, 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.
- 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.
- Mendenhall, A. 2023. (personal communication) Utah Weed Supervisors Association, 47 S Main Tooele, Utah 84074 USA.

Abundance

Limited

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.

Agent Impact

Impact: Slight
Geographic Scale of impact: Widespread throughout range
Impact Notes: Feeding on floral buds often results in abortion and failure to produce seeds, which does not kill plants but reduces population spread. Weevil populations often limited by heavy defoliation by Galerucella spp. that reduce flower production, and thus food availability. Alone, N. marmoratus likely not as important as other established agents because L. salicaria does not appear seed limited. It has been shown to be complementary to the Galerucella spp. by attacking flowers on purple loosestrife plants that escape defoliation; it is considered an important biocontrol agent at sites with decreasing L. salicaria and smaller populations of other biocontrol agents.

Impact References:
- Coombs, E.M. 2012. Biological control of weeds in Oregon. Annual Report 2012. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, Salem, Oregon, USA. 35 pp.
- Coombs, E.M. 2013. (personal communication) Oregon Department of Agriculture, Noxious Weed Control Program, 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301 USA.
- 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

Possibly Interspecific competition

Limiting Factors References:
- 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.

Other Attack

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

Research Organizations

California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento (State (14))
Oregon State Department of Agriculture, Salem (State (15))
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))
Washington State University (State (9))
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Notes