Rob Bourchier, Ph. D.

Research Scientist

Insect Ecology and Biological Control

5403 1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1

Current research and/or projects

Characterization of invasive pests and exotic biological control agents (Collaborator) 2019-2022

Assessing the range potential of Invasive Alien Species and associated herbivores under climate change with geospatial models of biological collections data (Collaborator) 2018-2021

Enhancing Biological Control of Invasive Plants in British Columbia Biocontrol. CO-PI - 2018-2023.

Potential Insect Biological Control for Invasive Alien Plants in Ontario . CO-PI 2011-2020.

Research and/or project statements

Host-plant insect interactions.
Population dynamics of biological control agents and their hosts.
Invasive species/biocontrol agents – impact, habitat and climate modelling

Professional activities / interests

Implementation of operational biocontrol for invasive plants in Canada.
Ecology and impact of established weed biocontrol agents
Development of new biological control agents for invasive plants in Canada
Student training

Education and awards

PhD, Biology/Ecology, University of Waterloo

MSc, Entomology, McGill University

BA, Economics, Carleton University

C. Gordon Hewitt Award (2001), presented by the Entomological Society of Canada (ESC)

Federal Government 5-NR Science Award for Leaders in Sustainable Development with R. De Clerck-Floate for Weed Biocontrol Research 2001

International experience and/or work

Canadian lead for collaborative international projects developing new biological control agents for invasive plants, including knotweeds, phragmites, garlic mustard and swallowworts.

Key publications

Moffat, C.E., R.S. Bourchier, R.A. De Clerck-Floate, P.G. Mason, and D.J. Ensing. 2021. How do we know biocontrol agents are safe? An overview of the Canadian research and regulatory process for new biocontrol agents. British Columbia Invasive Species Council. Invasives 2021 Conference (virtual). 9 Februrary, 2021.
2021 - View publication details
Ensing, D.J., R. Bourchier, R. De Clerck-Floate, T.D. Nelson, V. Miller, S. Turner, C.E. Moffat. 2020. Classical biological control leads to long term declines in the rangeland invasive spotted knapweed. Entomological Society of America (virtual), 16-19 November, 2020.
2020 - View publication details
Ensing, D.J., T.D. Nelson, R. Bourchier, R. De Clerck-Floate, V. Miller, S. Turner, C.E. Moffat. 2020. Contemporary ecology of historical weed biological control programs: Re-evaluating spotted knapweed biocontrol in BC. Entomological Society of British Columbia (virtual), 26-28 October, 2020.
2020 - View publication details
deJonge RB, RS Bourchier, and SM Smith. 2017. Initial Response by a Native Beetle, Chrysochus auratus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), to a Novel Introduced Host-Plant, Vincetoxicum rossicum (Gentianales: Apocynaceae). Environmental Entomology, 46(3), 2017, 617–625
doi: 10.1093/ee/nvx072
2017 - View publication details
Floate, K.D., P. Coghlin, B. Dunlop, D. Ostrander, L. Lesage and R. Bourchier. 2016. Assessment of the diversity of Aphthona flea beetles for biological control of leafy spurge on the prairies. XXV International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL, September 25-30. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.111113 [poster]
2016 - View publication details
Andersen, J.C., Bourchier, R.S., Grevstad, F., Van Driesche, R.G., and Mills, N.J. (2016). "Development and verification of SNP arrays to monitor hybridization between two host-associated strains of knotweed psyllid, Aphalara itadori.", Biological Control, 93, pp. 49-55. doi : 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2015.11.007
2016 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Van Hezewijk, B.H., Grevstad, F., and Gaskin, J.F. (2015). "Release of the biological control agent, Aphalara itadori for knotweed in Canada and performance on knotweed genotypes.", 2015 Entomological Society of Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada, November 8-11, 2015.
2015 - View publication details
Dejonge, R., Smith, S.M., and Bourchier, R.S. (2015). "The western cobalt beetle (Chrysochus cobaltinus): a potential native biocontrol agent for dog strangling vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum).", 2015 Entomological Society of Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada, November 8-11, 2015, Presentation.
2015 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S. and Smith, S.M. (2015). "Biological Control of Phragmites.", Invited Presentation Ontario Invasive Plant Council Invasive Phragmites in Ontario and What Lies Ahead, Ottawa, Canada, April 29, 2015. (Presentation)
2015 - View publication details
Smith, S.M. and Bourchier, R.S. (2015). "Biological Control of Invasive Plants in Ontario.", Invited Presentation Ontario Biodiversity Summit, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, May 19-22, 2015. (Presentation)
2015 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S. (2015). "From sleeping thistles to strangled canines: urban myths and misconceptions about classical weed biocontrol.", Invited lecture at University of Lethbridge 4th year Seminar Course. (Presentation)
2015 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S. and Smith, S.M. (2015). "Biological Control of Dog Strangling Vine.", Invited presentation at York Region Forest Conservation Team Newmarket Ont., July 22, 2015. (Presentation)
2015 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Weed, A., Tewksbury, L., Cappuccino, N., Smith, S.E., Gassmann, A., and Casagrande, R. (2014). "Release of Hypena opulenta for biological control of dog-strangling vine (Vincetoxicum) in North America.", Terrestrial Invasive Plant Species Conference II, Mississauga, ON, Canada, August 6-8, 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Coghlin, P.C., Dunlop, B., Ostrander, D., LeSage, L., and Floate, K.D. (2014). "Assessment of the diversity of Aphthona flea beetles for biological control of leafy spurge on the prairies.", 62nd Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, October 16-18, 2014. (Poster)
2014 - View publication details
Schaffner, U., Hinz, H.L., and Bourchier, R.S. (2014). "Misconceptions about classical biological control of weeds.", Terrestrial Invasive Plant Species Conference II, Mississauga, ON, Canada, August 6-8, 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Coghlin, P.C., Dunlop, B., Ostrander, D., LeSage, L., and Floate, K.D. (2014). "Assessment of the diversity of Aphthona beetles for the biological control of leafy spurge on the prairies.", 62nd Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Alberta, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, October 16-18, 2014. (Poster)
2014 - View publication details
Gaskin, J.F., Schwarzländer, M., Grevstad, F., Haverhals, M.A., Bourchier, R.S., and Miller, T.W. (2014). "Extreme differences in population structure and genetic diversity for three invasive congeners: knotweeds in western North America.", Terrestrial Invasive Plant Species Conference II, Mississauga, ON, Canada, August 6-8, 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Hinz, H.L., Gassmann, A., Schwarzländer, M., and Bourchier, R.S. (2014). "Successes we might never have had: a retrospective comparison of predicted versus realized host range of established weed biological control agents in North America (Review).", Invasive Plant Science and Management, 7(4), pp. 565-579. doi : 10.1614/IPSM-D-13-00095.1
2014 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Hinz, H.L., and Schaffner, U. (2014). "Addressing urban myths about classical weed biocontrol.", Weeds Across Borders 2014, Ottawa, Canada, October 14-17, 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Bourchier, R.S., Coghlin, P.C., Dunlop, B., Ostrander, D., LeSage, L., and Floate, K.D. (2014). "Assessment of the diversity of Aphthona beetles for the biological control of leafy spurge on the prairies.", 2014 Joint Annual Meeting of Entomological Society of Saskatchewan and Entomological Society of Canada, Saskatoon SK, Canada, September 28-October 1, 2014. (Poster)
2014 - View publication details