Information

Agent

Lobesia euphorbiana (Freyer)

Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Tortricidae

Agent Name References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.
- De Clerck-Floate, R. and H. Cárcamo. 2011. Biocontrol Arthropods: New Denizens of Canada's Grassland Agroecosystems. In K.D. Floate, Ed. Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands: Inhabitants of a Changing Landscape. Vol. 2. Biological Survey of Canada, Ottawa. pp. 291-321.

Weed

Euphorbia esula L.

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Incorrect Past Names/Synonyms: Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit.
Common Name: leafy spurge

Notes: Increasing evidence indicates the species considered weedy throughout North America is Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit., a species distinct from Euphorbia esula L. Because of widespread application of the name E. esula in North American weed literature and continued taxonomic uncertainty in this Euphorbia group, the name E. esula is retained in this catalogue, though the authors of this catalogue recognize the name E. virgata is likely most accurate.

Origin: Eurasia

Weed Name References:
- Bourchier, R. and B.H. Van Hezewijk. 2013. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and D. Gillespie, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 2001-2012. Chapter 47. CABI Publishing Wallingford, U.K. pp. 316-320.
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.

Weed Synonym References:
- Riina, R., J.A. Peirson, D.V. Geltman, J. Molero, B. Frajman, A. Pahlevani, L. Barres, J.J. Morawetz, Y. Salmaki, S. Zarre, A. Kryukov, P.V. Bruyns, and P.E. Berry. 2013. A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 62: 316–342.
- Berry, P.E. 2017. (personal communication) University of Michigan, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2035 Kraus Nat. Sci. Bldg, 830 N University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA.

Weed Common Name References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.
- Holden, A.N.G. and P.G. Mahlberg. 1992. Application of chemotaxonomy of leafy spurges (Euphorbia spp.) in biological control. Canadian Journal of Botany 70(8): 1529-1536.

Weed Notes References:
- Riina, R., J.A. Peirson, D.V. Geltman, J. Molero, B. Frajman, A. Pahlevani, L. Barres, J.J. Morawetz, Y. Salmaki, S. Zarre, A. Kryukov, P.V. Bruyns, and P.E. Berry. 2013. A worldwide molecular phylogeny and classification of the leafy spurges, Euphorbia subgenus Esula (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 62: 316–342.
- Berry, P.E. 2017. (personal communication) University of Michigan, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2035 Kraus Nat. Sci. Bldg, 830 N University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA.

Weed Origin References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.
- Holden, A.N.G. and P.G. Mahlberg. 1992. Application of chemotaxonomy of leafy spurges (Euphorbia spp.) in biological control. Canadian Journal of Botany 70(8): 1529-1536.

Release and Source Information

List: 1 - Exotic Organisms Intentionally Introduced

Source: Ex. Italy
Year: 1983
Region: North America
Country: Canada
Subregion of Country: AB, BC, MB, NS, ON, SK
Subregion specific:

Release History: AB 1990-1991, BC 1990-1998, MB 1987-1996, NS 1991, ON 1987-1992, SK 1983 1991-1994; Redistributed from MB to AB 1994

Release Notes: Also released on Euphorbia cyparissias in 1991.

Source Information References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.
- Gassmann, A. and D. Schroeder. 1995. The search for effective biological control agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biological Control 5: 466-477.
- McClay, A.S., D.E. Cole, P. Harris, and C.J. Richardson. 1995. Biological control of leafy spurge in Alberta: progress and prospects. AECV95-R2. Alberta Environmental Centre, Vegreville, Alberta, Canada. 63 pp.
- Turner, S.C. 2017. (personal communication) Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Provincial Range Operations - Kamloops, 441 Columbia Street Kamloops, BC V2C 2T3.

Original Host Species

Euphorbia lucida Waldst. & Kit. and Euphorbia seguieriana Neck.

Original Host Species References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.

Establishment

Established: Yes
Established in Subregion of Country: BC, MB, ON, SK
Established in Subregion specific:

Establishment References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.
- De Clerck-Floate, R. and H. Cárcamo. 2011. Biocontrol Arthropods: New Denizens of Canada's Grassland Agroecosystems. In K.D. Floate, Ed. Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands: Inhabitants of a Changing Landscape. Vol. 2. Biological Survey of Canada, Ottawa. pp. 291-321.
- Harris, P. 1997. (personal communication) Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, TIJ 4B1, Canada.

Abundance

Variable

Abundance References:
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.

Agent Impact

Impact: Variable
Geographic Scale of impact: Variable
Impact Notes: Densities vary with plant populations; low in some provinces but high enough for redistribution in BC and MB. Repeated heavy attack may kill target plant.

Impact References:
- Biocontrol Agents and Host Plants in British Columbia. 2012. In Invasive Plants with Biocontrol. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hra/plants/biocontrol/bcmatrix.htm. 1 September 2012.
- Bourchier, R.S., S. Erb, A.S. McClay, and A. Gassmann. 2002. Euphorbia esula (L.), leafy spurge and Euphorbia cyprarissias (L.), cypress spurge (Euphorbiaceae). In P.G. Mason and J.T. Huber, Eds. Biological Control Programmes in Canada 1981-2000. CAB International, Wallingford, U.K. pp. 346-358.

Limiting Factors

None

Other Attack

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

Research Organizations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

Notes