The Centre for Biological Control (CBC) again released 12 000 hyacinth hoppers on the Hartbeespoort Dam last week, hoping to start seeing damage to the plants soon.

Dr Kelby English from the CBC and Kefilwe Nduli, Magalies Water Harties project manager, releasing hoppers at the dam last week.

“The CBC is working with Magalies Water on the integrated management plan for the dam, and we are releasing 12 000 Megamelus bugs per week. In addition, our community run rearing stations continue to release bugs onto the dam on a weekly basis. So now we wait for the bugs to build up their numbers to take down water hyacinth this season,” CBC said.
“As predicted, each year water hyacinth seeds germinate in the spring time at Hartbeespoort Dam. Ideal conditions – sunlight, warmth, and nutrients – allow the seeds to germinate and the plants to start taking advantage. In addition, the drop in water level exposes the seeds further into the dam sediment – and this is what we’ve seen over the last 2 weeks – an increase in water hyacinth plant cover to almost 20%.” since the end of October from our rearing station at Rhodes University.
Prof Julie Coetzee of the Centre for Biological Control (CBC) at Rhodes University is optimistic about this season’s results. “In the previous season, the lack of government funding prevented the CBC from couriering consignments of Megamelus scutellaris (water hyacinth hopper) from Makhanda. As a result, the biocontrol programme became reliant solely on community rearing stations. Over the winter, the CBC engaged with Magalies Water and has since been appointed as the sole service provider for the supply of biological control agents. This season, thanks to the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Magalies Water, the CBC is once again able to provide regular consignments of hoppers,” Coertzee said.
Magalies Water was going to provide Kormorant with a comprehensive report which we had not received at the time of publishing.