The Leafy Spurge Stakeholders Group (LSSG), a broad coalition of agricultural and conservation groups and all three levels of government, was formed 1998 to examine the issues and impacts of leafy spurge. Over the past five years, the LSSG has been involved in a number of leafy spurge biocontrol field studies of spurge flea beetles in Manitoba. The field studies focused on:

• Monitoring the 1997 Manitoba Weed Supervisors Association beetle release sites biocontrol sites;
• Releasing populations of Aphthona beetles, particularly A. nigriscutis (black dot spurge beetle) and A. lacertosa (black spurge beetle);
• Establishing Aphthona nursery sites in Manitoba; and
• Recommending locations for new beetle biocontrol sites.