Aquatic-weed
Guides
Agasicles hygrophila
Alligatorweed Flea Beetle, Alligator Weed Flea Beetle
Agasicles hygrophila is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, native to South America and widely introduced as a classical biological control agent for the invasive aquatic weed Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed). It was the first insect studied for biological control of an aquatic weed. The beetle exhibits strict monophagy, feeding and reproducing exclusively on alligator weed. Both larvae and adults feed on leaves, causing defoliation that can kill dense weed mats and clear infested waterways. The species has been established in at least 30 countries including the United States, New Zealand, China, and Australia.
Amynothrips
Amynothrips is a monotypic genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae, erected by O'Neill in 1968. The sole described species, Amynothrips andersoni, is a specialized herbivore of alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) and has been extensively studied as a biological control agent for this invasive aquatic plant. Research has focused on its host specificity, cold tolerance, and population dynamics in managed release programs.