{"id":281,"date":"2023-05-11T12:27:22","date_gmt":"2023-05-11T16:27:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol-draft\/?page_id=281"},"modified":"2025-10-27T14:39:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T18:39:40","slug":"cypress-spurge","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/projects\/cypress-spurge\/","title":{"rendered":"Cypress  Spurge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"fullwidth\">Introduced to North America in the 1860s, cypress spurge (<em>Euphorbia cyparissias<\/em>) is a species that has invaded open farmlands and is toxic to horses and cows. In 1994, Don and Heather Minto from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) came to the University of Rhode Island seeking a means of biological control. Together, the Mintos worked with the URI to release six biocontrol insects. Five of the six species are Chrysomelid beetles in the genus&nbsp;<em>Aphthona<\/em>, the last species is a Cecidomyiid fly gall midge,&nbsp;<em>Spurgiaesula<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Insects were released in batches of 500-2000 at nine sites throughout Rhode Island in 1995 and 1996. While all six species became established, the two most successful species were&nbsp;<em>Apthonanigriscutis<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>A. flava<\/em>&nbsp;which successfully reproduced and decreased the amount of cypress spurge at the targeted release sites. Researchers at URI continue to monitor the spread of cypress spurge and the progress of the released biocontrol agents. For more detailed information, please see&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.invasive.org\/biocontrol\/15CypressSpurge.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">URI\u2019s publication<\/a>&nbsp;about cypress spurge from the USDA\u2019s Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the eastern United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[281]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"685\" height=\"649\" data-id=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2.jpg 685w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2-300x284.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2-364x345.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge2-500x474.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fig. 1. Cypress Spurge control with biocontrol agents<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge1.png\" rel=\"lightbox[281]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"396\" height=\"258\" data-id=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge1.png 396w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge1-300x195.png 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge1-364x237.png 364w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 396px) 100vw, 396px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fig. 2. Cypress Spurge control without biocontrol agents<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[281]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" data-id=\"285\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/Cypress-Spurge-flowers_2-500x375.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fig. 3. Cypress spurge flowers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">URI Student Posters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-scaled.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[281]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"757\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-1024x757.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-1024x757.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-768x568.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-1536x1135.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-2048x1513.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-364x269.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-500x369.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-1000x739.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-1280x946.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-2000x1478.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2154\/cypress-spurge-poster-scaled.jpg 2560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Documents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrcs.usda.gov\/Internet\/FSE_DOCUMENTS\/nrcs142p2_010835.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Invasive Species Identification Sheet<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.invasive.org\/biocontrol\/15CypressSpurge.cfm\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.invasive.org\/biocontrol\/15CypressSpurge.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Biological Control of an Invasive Weed: Cypress Spurge&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dacf\/php\/gotpests\/weeds\/factsheets\/cypress-spurge-col.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Cypress Spurge Management Recommendations<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eddmaps.org\/distribution\/uscounty.cfm?sub=3116\" target=\"_blank\">Distribution Map<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KqIjjBMK8cY\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cLeafy Spurge, identification of the Wisconsin Invasive Species Euphorbia esula\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduced to North America in the 1860s, cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias) is a species that has invaded open farmlands and is toxic to horses and cows. In 1994, Don and Heather Minto from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA) came to the University of Rhode Island seeking a means of biological [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4711,"featured_media":0,"parent":17,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-281","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4711"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=281"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1353,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281\/revisions\/1353"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/biocontrol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}