Cats Claw Creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati) is an invasive vine that threatens many natural areas in the Gold Coast region.  The Leaf-mining Jewel Beetle (Hylaeogena jureceki) is part of a holistic management approach to controlling Cats Claw.

Watergum have established a breeding facility to make this vital control option available to bush regenerators and private landholders.

As a long-lived, woody climber Cats Claw Creeper can establish in an area and smother native vegetation. Cats Claw Creeper can be challenging to control due to the scale of some infestations. Jewel Beetles are part of a great holistic approach to Cats Claw treatment. While they don’t kill the plant, they do impact it significantly once breeding populations are established. Beetles are a great first step to reduce Cat’s Claw infestation, allowing better access for other treatments and preventing further spread. 

How Jewel Beetles may help to control Cats Claw:

• Beetles defoliate the plant, slow growth and put strain on the tubers through nutrient extraction
• They reduce impact on native vegetation by allowing natives to photosynthesise through defoliated cats claw
• Significant damage can prevent the plant from seeding and spreading further
• Beetle populations can survive in all seasons and disperse widely, up to 100m in a year
• No negative impact to native vegetation

We recommend the use of Jewel Beetles for larger infestations where manual control is not possible. The more beetles you release, the better your results will be.

To enquire whether Jewel Beetles are right for your property, or place an order, contact [email protected]