Not-so-fab beetles The eucalyptus snout beetle is a kind of weevil that survives off of, you guessed it, eucalyptus foliage. Native to Eastern Australia, Eucalyptus snout beetles have spread worldwide in recent decades … and threatened ecosystems wherever they landed. Worldwide tour In 2016, the species was reported in Colombia for the first time. Today, it threatens over 115,000 hectares of land used for eucalyptus production. Biopesticides Fungi are a tremendous, sustainable means of pest control. A fungus species called Anaphes has been used to combat eucalyptus snout beetles in various parts of the world. However, this method isn’t available in Colombia, which makes dealing with this invasive species tricky. DNA analysis Researchers analyzed the DNA of the eucalyptus snout beetles found in Colombia and isolated the fungi that naturally infected the pests. These fungi were then tested for their effectiveness and durability as mass-produced biopesticides. Biopesticide benefits Fungi from the Beauveria and Metarhizium genera were highly effective in killing the weevils with minimal environmental effect. The fungi were target-specific and didn’t harm any other species besides the intended beetles. The big picture Researchers hope the fungi can be used as a targeted method of controlling the beetles in Colombia. As an alternative to traditional pesticides, biopesticides are a potential long-term solution for sustainable pest control in agriculture.