Piper, G.L., 1996. Biological Control of the Wetlands Weed Purple Loosestrife (Luthrum Salicaria) in the Pacific Northwestern United States, Washington State University.

Reprinted from Hydrobiologia (1996) 340(1-3): 291-294, with kind permission from Springer Science and Business Media

Biological Control of the Wetlands Weed Purple Loosestrife (Luthrum Salicaria) in the Pacific Northwestern United States

Abstract
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an Eurasian perennial hydrophyte that has become naturalized in wetlands and in and along waterways throughout temperate North America. The ecological integrity of such areas is threatened by rapidly forming monotypic infestations that displace valued flora and diminish critical fish and wildlife habitat. The inability of physical, cultural, and chemical methods to provide adequate control of the weed has led to the development of an insect-based biological control program. The first field releases of the bud and leaf feeding beetles, Galerucella calmariensis and G. pusilla, and a root-mining weevil, Hylobius transversovittatus, were made in the United States and Canada in 1992. A total of 4740 Galerucella spp. adults were released in central Washington during 1992 and 1993 at eight sites and 471 H. transversovittatus egg inoculations were made in 1993 at three locations. Establishment of both Galerucella spp. was confirmed and Hylobius colonization was achieved

Entire Paper
Contact: Gary Piper, Washington State University, Department of Entomology
Keywords: Purple_loosestrife, Aquatic_plant_management, Biological_control
Product Type: Research, Control
User Type: Resource Management