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Agasicles hygrophila

Agasicles hygrophila

Selman & Vogt, 1971

Family: Chrysomelidae
Order: Coleoptera
Class: Insecta
Phylum / Division: Arthropoda
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Agasicles hygrophila is a species of leaf beetle known by the common name alligator weed flea beetle. It has been used successfully as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious aquatic plant known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides).

This beetle is native to South America but has been imported to areas where alligator weed is a problem. The adult beetle is 5 mm in length and black with yellow stripes on its elytra. The female lays about 1,000 eggs in her six-week lifetime. Millimeter-long eggs are laid in rows on leaves, and the small yellow larvae emerge and eat the leaves. Adults also feed on the leaves. Defoliation of alligator weed mats kills the weed and clears the infested waterway. This beetle is established in much of the southeastern United States, where it lives on alligator weed only.

The beetle has been used as a biological control of alligator weed in New Zealand.

Source: Wikipedia, article Agasicles hygrophila. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





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Species records

Count: 7



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
246284824/02/2026ArgentinaEntre RíosParque Unzué, GualeguaychúDaniel Fabián Barrios
228045925/04/2025ArgentinaCiudad Autónoma de Buenos AiresFloresEduardo Nadal
111313414/03/2019ArgentinaBuenos AiresAlejandro Korn, San Vicente1Mariano Kildegaard
89314302/03/2019ArgentinaBuenos AiresParque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte (San Isidro)1Ricardo A. Palonsky
88561911/02/2019UruguayMontevideoJardín Botánico, MontevideoEmilio Lessa
162380711/03/2014ArgentinaEntre RíosReserva Las Piedras, GualeguaychúDaniel Fabián Barrios
140897117/10/2013ArgentinaBuenos AiresParque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte (San Isidro)Daniel Osvaldo Fernández
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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Agasicles hygrophila – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.