Beetles Wielded to Control Purple Loosestrife
By Amy Eliot, UWS-Lake Superior Research Institute
Purple Loosestrife – source wikicommons
The Douglas County Land & Water Conservation Department (DCLWD) is seeking help from citizens to control purple loosestrife in the County. Purple loosestrife (PL) is an invasive plant that crowds out native plants and threatens wetlands. PL can be effectively controlled using a beetle that is its natural predator.
Anyone interested in learning how to rear and release beetles and control PL is invited to attend a Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Workshop on Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Lake Nebagamon Auditorium in Lake Nebagamon, WI. No previous experience is required and there is no charge to attend. Equipment and materials will be provided.
Galerucella Beetle, source: wikicommons
Purple Loosestrife was brought to North America by settlers for flower gardens in the 1800s. It has been in Wisconsin since the early 1900s. When PL gets a foothold, the habitat needed by fish and wildlife quickly becomes choked under a sea of purple flowers. There are a number of methods to control purple loosestrife, however biocontrol may be the most viable long-term control method and shows promise to greatly reduce the need for other more costly and disruptive control methods. Careful research has shown that the Galerucella beetle is dependent on purple loosestrife, and it is not a threat to other plants. If you have purple loosestrife on your property, please consider getting involved.
The workshop is being hosted by the Douglas County Land and Water Conservation Department and the UW-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute. Staff from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will provide the training. Please contact Amy Eliot at (715) 394-8313 or aeliot@uwsuper.edu for more information about the program.
About your local Land & Water Conservation Department:
The Douglas County Land & Water Conservation Department is dedicated to protecting local lakes and streams by providing technical assistance and education for our citizens. Volunteers provide a valuable resource for area lakes, wetlands and streams, and can also help to keep invasive species from spreading through watersheds by helping to detect invasive species early. To contact your Douglas County Conservationist please call or email Christine Ostern at (715) 395-1266 or Christine.Ostern@douglascountywi.org.
About UW-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute:
The UW-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) is located on the UW Superior campus. Its mission is to conduct environmental research, education and outreach for the Great Lakes Region and inland water bodies of the Upper Midwest. LSRI houses and supports the Douglas County Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program. The goal of the AIS program is to help protect Douglas County’s pristine lakes and rivers from AIS for generations to come through education, outreach, control and monitoring.
