Tiny biocontrol insects, released by the Centre for Biological Control, are preventing flowering and suppressing growth — a long-term solution to South Africa’s most problematic…
Without biocontrol, Hartbeespoort Dam could be 70% covered in superweed
The tiny planthoppers are biological control agents and natural enemies of the world’s worst aquatic weed
Biological control is effective but the real solution would be to fix wastewater treatment plants in Joburg and Pretoria and stop sewage spills
Heavy rain and pollution has led to the aquatic weed increasing its coverage to about 50% of the dam
Tiny bugs – water hyacinth planthoppers – have reduced the coverage of an invasive superweed to below 5%
The coverage of the invasive superweed has been reduced to 12.5% from 40% in February
About 300 000 planthoppers have been released on Hartbeespoort Dam to control the green horror
