We have talked a lot about knapweed on this forum because of its negative consequences for wildlife habitat.
Biocontrol has been pushed as an alternative to herbicides, but this is bad news.
“ScienceDaily (Sep. 5, 2008) — Biocontrol agents, such as insects, are often released outside of their native ranges to control invasive plants.”
Read the rest below. ↓
Biocontrol Insect Exacerbates an Invasive Weed.
I should add that deer mice are also the primary carriers of hantavirus.
It should also be noted that many other kinds of biocontrols are being used on knapweed, not gall-flies alone.
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A good related letter on elk, deer, moose, wolves and knapweed. Missoulian. “Knapweed is also taking a toll on deer, elk.“
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He has been a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and also its President. For many years he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
