Introduction and establishment of Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands to control Salvinia minima Baker in Louisiana

Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been released in the United States and 13 other countries for biological control of both Salvinia minima Baker and Salvinia molesta Mitchell, invasive freshwater aquatic ferns that displace native vegetation. S. minima is widely established in Louisiana and multiple introductions of C. salviniae from southern Florida failed to establish over several field seasons and were assumed to not be temperately adapted. A population of C. salviniae was identified in northern Florida and used to make introductions in the summer of 2007. During the spring of 2008, C. salviniae was successfully recovered from two locations in Louisiana.