What's eating my broad-leaved pondweed?

Broad-leaved Pondweed is grazed and spread by waterfowl, which are its most significant real-world threat at the pond scale. Water lily aphids colonise floating leaves, and aquatic leaf beetles chew submerged stems. Carp introduced for pond management can also eat or uproot the plant aggressively.

Dense colonies on floating leaf surfaces; distorted, yellowing leaves; sticky honeydew deposits. Submerge leaves briefly to dislodge aphids; introduce beneficial insects. Avoid insecticides directly in pond water.

Beetles mine and chew leaf tissue; fly larvae create pale blotch mines in floating leaves. Remove heavily mined leaves by hand; maintain good water quality. Natural aquatic predators help keep populations in check.

Carp actively consume or uproot the plants, rapidly destroying established stands. Do not stock grass carp in ponds containing desired native pondweeds. Use netting to protect newly established plantings.