Spinyhead sida community-based rearing and release of the sida leaf beetle

Spinyhead sida (Sida acuta) was identified as a weed significantly impacting cultural values during the National Weed Biocontrol Prioritisation process. The sida beetle is a leaf-feeding beetle known to heavily defoliate sida plants during the wet season, but sida beetle populations are not drought resistant, resulting in large sida beetle die-back each dry season and poor control of spinyhead sida at the start of the wet season.

Community-based rearing and release may enhance control of spinyhead sidaby getting large quantities of sida beetles back into the weed infestations at the end of each dry season.