Battle Of Invasive Species Being Waged In NJ: Weevil vs. Vine

WEST TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) – When it comes to a thorny vine with triangular leaves, the more holes you see in it the better. Since 2004 the NJ Department of Agriculture's Beneficial Insect Laboratory has been releasing tiny weevils in the environment to combat the "mile a minute" vine.

The bug and the vine are both native to Asia so in essence it's a battle of invasive species happening in New Jersey.

"The weevil has a two-pronged attack. The adults feed on the leaves and the larvae feed in the stems," says Mark Mayer, the supervising entomologist at the laboratory. The mile a minute vine can grow up to 6 inches a day and suffocate large trees.

With about a quarter million weevils released since 2004 – experts say the mile a minute has slowed it's progress and may be under control within 10-15 years.