Aphthona nigriscutis is a root-feeding flea beetle

Beetle

Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...

 of the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Aphthona

Aphthona

Aphthona is a genus of beetle, in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and Asia. More specifically, Aphthona are flea beetles, meaning they have enlarged hind legs for jumping away from potential danger....

. It is one of 5 Aphthona spp. that has been used in Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 to control leafy spurge

Leafy spurge

Euphorbia esula, commonly known as the Green Spurge or Leafy Spurge, is a species of spurge native to central and southern Europe , and eastward through most of Asia north of the Himalaya to Korea and eastern Siberia.It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1-1.2 m tall, with several stems...

, an invasive plant that reduces pasture quality and degrades natural habitats. It, along with A. lacertosa, is one of only two biocontrol agents thought to be effective against leafy spurge.

Larvae cause the most damage to the plant by feeding on the roots.

Nontarget impacts

A. nigriscutis will feed on the native Euphorbia robusta Engelm, though this is thought to be acceptable as the weevil significantly reduces leafy spurge populations over time.

Return of diversity following biocontrol

A 14-year study documented a slight increase plant species richness in a Montana grassland system after release of A. nigriscutis to control leafy spurge.