Each weed biological control agent which is eventually mass reared for release represents an enormous investment in research time and resources. Ideally agents should be prioritised in order of greatest potential to control the target weed, and resources not wasted on insects with little or no potential. Despite an extensive scientific literature detailing the attributes a successful agent should possess, in practice there is no useful scientific formula for prioritising agents. However, there is much precedence, and lessons can be learnt from past successes and failures. 

I believe while we may never be able to predict a success, if we carefully consider the biology and ecology of the target weed in relation to potential control agents (Briese 1993) we can predict failures. Success will be the result of ingenuity, persistence and a little luck.

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