Asian Beetle May Be Remedy For Invasive Tamarisk In Thirsty West

[hatrack]

LAS VEGAS - "A tiny beetle is proving effective in killing a weedy shrub blamed for sucking precious water out of streams and lakes in Nevada and the West. Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno say the leaf-eating beetle, called Diorhabda elongata, could prove helpful in restoring native vegetation in areas choked by thirsty salt cedar, also called tamarisk.

"This has been one of the most successful biocontrol projects in all my 25 years in entomology in Nevada," said Jeff Knight, a partner in the project with the state Department of Agriculture. "It has had a dramatic impact on the ecosystems in Nevada agriculture: water levels, wildlife and riparian bird habitats." The beetle, about the size of a ladybug, was imported from China and released into strategic areas to attack the invasive shrub originally brought to the United States from Asia for use as an ornamental plant and for soil stabilization.

The bushy salt cedar has been blamed for more than $200 million in environmental damage across the West, primarily due to water loss and the loss of agricultural land. Tom Dudley, associate research professor at the UNR Natural Resources and Environmental Science Department, said researchers expect to see dead salt cedar trees this year after three years of defoliation. "In 2002, we saw four acres of salt cedar that were defoliated," he said. "This year, we have about 1,000 acres: a phenomenal increase."

Dudley said 3,000 acres could be affected by the end of 2004, and said the research team also has noticed an increase in riparian birds and small mammals that like to eat the beetles. Research is being conducted at three Nevada sites: on private land at the Humboldt Sink; at the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge near Fallon; and at the Walker River Paiute Reservation."

EDIT

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/9302414.htm

[northzax]

1. does this ever work?

introducing one invasive species to combat another? anyone remember the Simpsons episode with the bird eating lizards?

[ret5hd]

2. future headlines:

South American Grub May Be Remedy For Invasive Asian Beetle

European Lizard May Be Remedy For Invasive South American Grub

Mexican Jumping Toad of Southern Sri Lanka May Be Remedy For Invasive European Lizard

etc

etc

etc

[sybylla]

3. Great, now they can come and get all the $#@&^% beetles out of my house

They invade very fall and I have to vacuum their stinking, biting carcasses from my ceiling before every meal or they fall on the food.

Disgusting!!! Why can't we just stop fucking with nature? After over four centuries of screwing up the flora and fauna of every continent I can't believe we still haven't learned from our massive mistakes.

[NickB79]

4. Not the same Asian beetle

You're thinking of the Japanese ladybeetle, which was accidentally imported to the US in the 1980's. This is an entirely different species from the one mentioned in the article.