Woman Sneezes from Ragweed Pollen (IMAGE) CABI Caption Dr Urs Schaffner, lead author of study in Nature Communications, says the leaf beetle Ophraella communa can significantly reduce pollen - which causes a range of symptoms from sneezing to itchy eyes and aggravates conditions such as asthma and eczema - from common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia). The interdisciplinary study - the first to quantify the economic benefits of biological control in Europe - also argues that the costs inflicted by invasive species in Europe are 'most probably seriously underestimated'. Credit CABI Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.