Herbivore abundance and distribution on Myriophyllum spicatum in Hodges Pond , Neawha Park , Oneonta , NY and Rat Cove , Otsego Lake , Cooperstown , NY

Eurasian watennilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a submerged aquatic plant that was introduced to North America in the early 1900s (Smith and Barko, 1990). It is a troublesome weed that grows rapidly and tends to fonn a dense canopy on the surface of the water (Grace and Wetzel, 1978). Since Eurasian water-milfoil (EWM) is a problem in many freshwater lakes, safe alternative to herbicides are being sought. Aquatic herbivores are under investigation as possible biological control agents in managing water mi1foi1 (Creed and Sheldon, 1995; Kangasniemi, 1983; Kangasniemi et ai., 1992; Johnson et ai., 1998; Painter and McCabe, 1988).