Unanticipated effects of using gall-flies to control spotted knapweed

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.

– – – –

A good related letter on elk, deer, moose, wolves and knapweed. Missoulian. “Knapweed is also taking a toll on deer, elk.


Posted

in

,

by

Want to join the discussion?

Fantastic, here are the ground rules: No personal attacks, profanity, discriminatory language or threats. Keep it clean, civil and on topic. The Wildlife News does not fact check every comment but, when noticed, submissions containing clear misinformation, demonstrably false statements of fact or links to sites trafficking in such will not be posted.

Author

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time 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.

Subscribe to get new posts right in your Inbox

×