Biocontrol Agents & Host Plants in BC

The Biological Control Agent Handling Matrix describes the months during the year that secondary and tertiary agents (see Status for definition) may be handled.

Plants by common name

This list contains invasive plant species for which biological control agents exist within BC.  This list is not comprehensive of all the invasive plants existing in the province.

Common Name

Scientific Name
Black knapweed Centaurea nigra
Brown knapweed Centaurea jaceae
Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare
Canada thistle Cirsium arvense 
Dalmatian toadflax Linaria dalmatica
Diffuse knapweed Centaurea diffusa 
Field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
Hawkweed complex Hieracium spp.
Hedge bindweed Calystegia sepium
Hound's-tongue Cynoglossum officinale 
Knotweed complex Polygonum spp.
Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula
Marsh plume thistle Cirsium palustre 
Meadow knapweed Centaurea debeuxii 
Narrow-leaved Dalmatian toadflax Linaria genistifolia spp. dalmatica
Nodding thistle Carduus nutans
Perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis
Plumeless thistle Carduus acanthoides 
Puncturevine Tribulus terrestris
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria 
Rush skeletonweed Chondrilla juncea
Russian knapweed Acroptilon repens 
Scentless chamomile Matricaria perforata
Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius
Short-fringed knapweed Centaurea nigrescens
Spotted knapweed Centaurea biebersteinii 
St. John's wort Hypericum perforatum 
Sulphur cinquefoil Potentilla recta 
Tansy ragwort Senecio jacobaea 
Yellow toadflax Linaria vulgaris 

 

This list contains biological control agents that have been imported or have arrived on their own accord (adventive) into BC.

Biological Control Agent Name

Aceria malherbae
Agapeta zoegana
Agrilus hyperici
Altica carduorum
Aphis chloris
Aphthona cyparissiae
Aphthona czwalinae
Aphthona flava
Aphthona lacertosa
Aphthona nigriscutis
Aplocera plagiata
Botanophila seneciella
Brachypterolus pulicarius
Bradyrrhoa gilveolella
Bruchidius villosus
Calophasia lunula
Chaetorellia acrolophi
Chirida guttata
Chrysolina hyperici
Chrysolina quadrigemina
Chrysolina varians
Cochylis atricapitana
Cyphocleonus achates
Cystiphora sonchi
Eriophyes chondrillae
Eteobalea intermediella
Eteobalea serratella
Exapion fuscirostre
Galerucella calmariensis
Galerucella pusilla
Hadroplontus litura
Hyles euphorbiae
Hylobius transversovittatus
Larinus minutus
Larinus obtusus
Larinus planus
Lobesia euphorbiana
Longitarsus flavicornis
Longitarsus jacobaeae
Longitarsus quadriguttatus

 Mecinus janthinus
Metriona bicolor
Metzneria paucipunctella
Microlarinus lareynii
Microplontus edentulus
Minoa murinata
Mogulones cruciger
Omphalapion hookeri
Pelochrista medullana
Pterolonche inspersa
Puccinia acroptili
Puccinia chondrillina
Puccinia jaceae
Rhinocyllus conicus
Rhinusa antirrhini
Rhinusa linariae
Rhinusa neta
Rhopalomyia tripleurospermi
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Sphenoptera jugoslavica
Spurgia esulae
Subanguina picridis
Terellia ruficauda
Terellia virens
Trichosirocalus horridus
Tyria jacobaeae
Urophora affinis
Urophora cardui
Urophora jaceana
Urophora quadrifasciata
Urophora solstitialis
Urophora stylata