Webinar: Opportunities for the biological control of European frog bit in North America

Title and Presenter:
Opportunities for the biological control of European frog-bit in North America presented by Philip Weyl with CABI Switzerland
Presentation Description:
In 2024 with funding from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), CABI in Switzerland initiated foreign exploration for natural enemies occurring in the native range of European frog-bit (EFB). EFB is native through much of Europe and parts of temperate Asia as well as North Africa. It was introduced into North America as an ornamental in the early 1930s, with the initial introduction into Ottawa in Ontario, Canada thought to originate from the Zurich Botanical Gardens, Switzerland, thus Switzerland and surrounding areas were a good place to start to search for a biocontrol agent. During surveys at least two potential biological control agents have been recorded, a Hydrellia sp. fly and the weevil, Bagous puncticollis. In addition to this, water soldier, Stratiotes aloides, also introduced in North America (currently only in Canada), will be considered during surveys in the native range given the phylogenetic relatedness and geographic overlap with European frog-bit. In this presentation Philip will give an update on the progress made in the first year of surveys and plans going forward.