Current research at the European Biological Control Laboratory

The European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL), located near Montpellier France, with a satellite laboratory in Thessaloniki Greece, is operated by USDA-ARS to conduct research on biological control of invasive weeds and insect pests.  Weed research targets currently include Arundo donax (giant reed), Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle), Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge), Genista monspessulana (French broom), Lepidium draba (white top), Onopordum acanthium (Scotch thistle), Salsola tragus (Russian thistle), Taeniatherum caput-medusae (medusahead), Tamarix spp. (saltcedar), Ventenata dubia (African wire grass) and Vincetoxicum spp. (swallow-worts).  Insect targets include Anoplophora species (Asian long-horned beetles), Bactrocera oleae (olive fruit fly), Drosophila suzukii (spotted-wing drosophila), Euphyllura olivina (olive psyllid), Lygus spp. (tarnished plant bugs) and pentatomid stink bugs (including Bagrada hilaris [bagrada bug] and Halyomorpha halys [brown marmorated stink bug]).  EBCL has recently expanded research to include medical/veterinary targets including mosquitos and ticks.  Research involves foreign exploration to discover prospective biological control agents (arthropods and pathogens), taxonomic identification, molecular genetics, plant pathology, and insect physiology and behavior to evaluate host specificity and potential efficacy.  EBCL also participates in related research on population ecology and genetics of invasive species.  Although the laboratory focuses on invasive species affecting the U.S., it also participates in projects of international interest, such as Solanum elaeagnifolium (silverleaf nightshade), and pests impacting foreign-produced crops of importance to the U.S.