Salvinia is a hard-to-get-rid weed from Brazil that’s been called a “lake killer” in Texas, where it was introduced in 1998. It literally chokes lakes by covering their surface. Volunteers are now breeding a “large army” of Salvinia-loving weevils to combat the problem.
Salvinia is a tricky beast—it doubles in size every week, has tentacles that loom underneath, and chokes up waterways, making it impossible for wildlife to grow or boats to sail. It’s a monster currently devastating Texas’s picturesque Caddo Lake. But, never fear, the weevil is here. Residents of Uncertain, Texas have taken it onto themselves to combat the invasive species with the help of a small Brazilian insect known as the Salvinia weevil. By releasing these tiny soldiers onto the pervasive plant, they’re hoping to save the lake and their home.