Posted on 03/19/2007 5:20:37 PM PDT by george76
Insect could help fight spread of tamarisk.
residents who have battled with the invasive tamarisk, or salt cedar, could find relief in the form of a beetle.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is introducing a beetle - the only known natural enemy of the tamarisk. The beetle comes from Asia, where tamarisk first originated.
The tamarisk is an invasive, nonnative plant that was originally brought to the United States from Asia to control erosion. But the noxious shrub is said to cover 10,000 acres in Montezuma County. It can have roots that run as deep as 100 feet and can consume as much as 300 gallons of water a day.
One tamarisk tree can produce millions of seeds in one summer and can grow even after it is burned or cut down. To kill it with strong herbicides can take up to three years.
So far, it is too early to tell if the beetle's release in Colorado has been successful, Louden said. This spring, when the tamarisk's leaves come back, officials will learn whether the beetle survived the winter.
The beetle has been released successfully in Nevada and in Utah...
The beetles are no bigger than a sunflower seed and munched on a tamarisk branch.
(Excerpt) Read more at cortezjournal.com ...
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The problem arises when we find that the beetles prefer other native plants.
Probably eat corn.
You are correct.
That is always a risk.
Apparently some ants also like to eat the beetles too.
"when we find that the beetles prefer other native plants."
Yup. Odds are they will like something like the fruit orchards or the melon plants.
I just wish we could convinvce Japanese beetles to eat Purple loosestrife instead of my wisteria.
"...controlling tamarisk is the single most cost-effective means to make more usable water available, cheaper than dams, wells, or storage..."
by Carry_Okie
Well, they wanted to control erosion - and now they have to control tamarisk. It is a garden case of a short blanket paradigm. Either your nose, or your feet [or both] will be out. And even if you contort like Houdini, it will be of little help.
It is estimated the tamarisk plant and Russian olive trees, both of which are nonnative species, occupy up to 1.6 million acres in the West...
“According to the Tamarisk Coalition, the western U.S. is probably losing anywhere from 2 to 4.5 million acre-feet of water per year,”...
A family of four uses about half an acre foot of water per year.
From a wildlife point of view, the tamarisk has little value and is usually considered detrimental to native animals.
The leaves, twigs and seeds are extremely low in nutrients, and, as a result, very few insects or wildlife will use them.
In one study along the lower Colorado River, tamarisk stands supported less than 1% of the winter bird life that would be found in a native plant stand.
Because of the tamarisk's ability to eliminate competition and form single-species thickets, wildlife populations have dropped dramatically.
http://www.nps.gov/whsa/tamarisk.htm
Colorado ping
It also does a dandy job of clogging canyons to where hiking is almost impossible.
"Russian olive trees"
I will be out killing stragglers for the 7th year in a row at the dynachrome mansion. Previous owners used them as an addition to the fence. (and then several years of neglect) I will say no one could climb over the fence without risking their lives!
It would be nice if it works. Most critters don't completely destroy their food supply though. Not to mention some plants grow more vigorously when grazed on.
Hiking by us and wildlife is almost impossible.
Russian olive trees are also brutal.
" No amnesty for the Illegals.."
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