Leafy Spurge Bio-Control Program Overview

    In the spring of 1995, the Griggs County Weed Board received 7000 Aphthona nigriscutis, 2000 Aphthona czwalinae and 1000 Aphthona cyparissiae flea beetles.  These beetles were released on 10 sites.  Of the ten release sites, only one site (NW 1/4, Sec. 22, R-59-W, T-148-N, Dan Odegaard cooperator) survived.  This site A. czwalinae was released.  None of the sites with A. nigriscutis or A. cyparissiae were any numbers of insects found in numerous sweeps.  

    In an effort to become more aggressive in the release or flea beetles, the Griggs County Leafy Spurge Bio-Control Program was established in the spring of 1996 with the help of a WIN grant from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.  The Project had two objectives.  First, to try develop insectaries within the county so leafy spurge beetles can be grown and distributed to county landowners.  Second, is to educate producers and landowners insect biology and management practices.
    On June 21st and July 27th of 1996, Scott Tranby and John Swenson assisted the North Dakota State Department of Agriculture in collecting A. czwalinae and A. lacertosa flea beetles at the original release site located in Barnes County bordering Lake Ashtabula.  Approximately 48,000 insects were collected and released on nineteen sites.
    In August, Sam Law of DowElanco, supplied the project with an AUM analyzer kit to collect forage yields to evaluate what effect flea beetles will have on each site.  Photographs were taken of each site to establish a pictorial history.
    In 1997, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture decided to supply each county with funds to help in the education and collection of flea beetles.  As a result, the WIN grant was no longer needed.   Since this time, the funds have been used to purchase sweep nets, paper bags, tape and other collection needs.
    In 1999 first year that one site became very active and several collections were made.  This was the Dan Odegaard site started with 1000 insects in 1995.  Over one million insects were taken from this site.  In 2000, a new site, Butte Michaud (Dan Rorvig cooperator) became very active with 13 different collection days with more than six million insects collected and released.
    The program has grown and so has the demand for flea beetles.  Landowners are seeing the effectiveness of these insects and the need for a full time collection crew will be needed to meet the demand.  At this time, the Griggs County Weed Board does not have the funds to field such a crew.  Efforts are being made to find type of solution.  For 2001, there should be two more major sites available along with the Butte if no over wintering problems occur.  
    For more information on flea beetle biology or to be put on a mailing list of when collections will be taking place, either telephone (701-797-3312) or by e-mail john.swenson@ndsu.edu.
    

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john.swenson@ndsu.edu
Griggs County Extension Office
P.O. Box 70
Cooperstown ND 58425
griggs@ndsuext.nodak.edu