Our research focus at the #CBC is on understanding ecological dynamics of invasive pests, aquatic & terrestrial weeds in particular. Large proportion of this work is the development of biological control methods for these invasive plants, which can then be applied for management.

We will be hosting the Weed Biological Control Short Course this year in November. Please let me know if you are interested as there are limited spaces- k.weaver@ru.ac.za.

And that's a wrap! The CBC at #ESSA2025 in Bloemfontein. Thanks for hosting such a great event @entsocsa

The CBC is at the @entsocsa's annual Meeting #ESSA2025 in Bloemfontein! Watch this space for more updates

A recent report from @mwlr_nz scientists visiting Rarotonga has confirmed that the agent is established widely across the whole island, being found at most African Tulip Tree sites. It can only feed on the tree. The damage reported is very promising news.

The African Tulip Flea-Beetle was released in 2022 after being collected in West Africa and several years of research in the CBC Biocontrol Quarantine Laboratory at Rhodes University.

A biocontrol agent from Africa protecting the indigenous biodiversity of the Pacific Islands. The CBC and @mwlr_nz NZ have worked in collaboration to develop and release biocontrol agents against African Tulip Tree in the Cook Islands.

📷 CBC featured in Nature  Africa. Journalist Leonie Joubert explores the CBC’s research into using natural enemies to manage invasive alien plant populations and how this pivotal work is now under threat from government funding cuts.

The CBC was joined by @NCCEnviron and Invader Plant Specialists to present the work done by the respective groups and what we would recommend to the Kingdom on their similar invaders. What an experience for our team! #invasivespecies #prosopiss #mesquite #cactusinvasions

Our annual report is out!

A groundbreaking study puts a spotlight on the reliability of ecological and evolutionary biology research. A team of more than 300researchers including one of our own, Guy Sutton, have published a study that has the potential to profoundly impact the broader scientific community.

An informative video explaining how #waterhyacinth invades systems such as #Hartbeespoort Dam.

@Abramjee.

20. In the absence of water nutrient remediation, water hyacinth will continue to proliferate each season until the seed bank is depleted.

18. The biocontrol agent populations have increased as we expected, and we anticipate a reduction in cover this summer, much in the same way we have experienced in the past. 19. Biocontrol does not aim to eradicate an invasive species, but to reduce its population.

16. The biocontrol damage prevents the plants from flowering and therefore producing seeds. This means no new seeds are added to the seed bank. 17. Another factor driving this season’s growth is the very low water level which exposed seeds to germinate.

15. This January, we are experiencing the same phenomenon we have seen over the past five years – the plants germinate in spring, bugs were released, rain increased the nutrient runoff into the dam giving the plants more food, and so they exploded. But the bugs are catching up.

13. We now have 10 rearing stations established around the dam which are self-funded and maintained. 14.The main aim of the rearing programme is to release as many bugs as possible as soon as the new plants germinate early in spring to prevent the mat from covering the entire dam.

12. Despite this lack of government funding, the CBC continued to mass rear and release the bug onto the dam, and also established community rearing stations where local community partners reared the bugs for release onto the dam.

10. But the same pattern occurred in the following years, including this last season in September 2024. 11. The CBC relied on DFFE funding for this biocontrol programme, but funding ceased in 2022.