Purple Loosestrife (lythrum salicaria) is a hearty plant with an aggressive rate of growth. When introduced into
a wetland ecosystem, the plant will grow quickly and "choke" out other vegetation until it becomes the
dominant species. This rapid change in biodiversity has experts concerned about the state or health of the
Northern Ontario wetlands and several studies have been conducted to determine how to control the growth
and spread of Purple Loosestrife.
One such study involved the release of Galerucella beetles; an insect which feeds almost exclusively on the
plant. Before the beetles were released, the growth rate of lythrum salicaria was assessed in five test zones.