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Project Noah Nature School
Lythrum salicaria
An invasive species, very hard to eradicate.
Spotted on May 29, 2011
Submitted on Jun 5, 2012
3 Comments
Cool - let me know. the beetles don't eradicate it, they do what they do in Europe, which is stunt it enough that it doesn't invade. Keeps it to about 2 feet high w/ 1 flower spike per plant.
Officially? No biologic control that I know of, but they roped several troops of Boy Scouts into a weeding program the whole summer about five years back, and were able to knock the growth of it along Wolf Lake back about 95%. You can't completely eradicate it that way, of course, but it got cut back so much that it's only now really starting to bounce back.
I'll be able to find out more this weekend; I'm helping to plant a community garden at the environmental education center here in town right across from the lake on Saturday, and I'll ask folks then. If anyone knows, they would.
Jenn,
Are you doing any biologic control for loosestrife in your area? If not and you want info, I have it. We have been very successful raising and releasing Galerucella beetles for control here in CT.