Stevens County Noxious Weed Control
Board This web site will help
you identify & control noxious weeds. Conventional & biological control
(BioControl) information and photographs are here. Maps & related
information are included.
Proceed with these steps in
a timely manner. They are stressful to the BioAgent and may
reduce it's capacity to survive once released. Adults may be
laying eggs when they are collected. Eggs laid in a container
are doomed.
COLLECTION
An excellent use of
the sweep net is to bend the plant over the net and shake the
insects off. Twist the net to keep insects from escaping while
you walk back to your staging area. Gently turn the sweep net
inside out to transfer your insects into a high sided plastic
dish pan. Start bumping the dishpan to keep the insects off
balance (so not many fly away) and clean away the bigger debris
collected with them. You can then "pour" your insects
into a paper lunch sack for transport to the new site.
When close to your staging area use the high sided plastic
dish pan directly. Start by placing a few plant stems in the
dishpan. As you shake the insects off into the dishpan they will
tend to cling to the stems and not fly off. Gently bump the
dishpan to keep the loose insects in place.
Another "small scale" way to collect is the funnel
assembly shown in the photo. Use a plastic 2 liter bottle to
make the funnel. The funnel fits snugly into a 1 liter big mouth
bottle. Make a stopper from tin foil. Place the funnel under the
insect, and make it drop into the funnel.
Other handy tools are gloves, hand pruner, and aspirator.
TRANSPORT
A paper lunch sack
works well for same day, or next day releases. Fold the top over
three times and staple it. You can make a reusable transport
container from a wide mouth canning jar, some plastic screening,
and some tub and tile caulk, like the one in the photo.
Completely clean the container parts. Containers must NOT be air
tight. 500 small insects per quart jar or paper lunch sack is
OK.
Soon after you collect your insects put them in a container. If
they will be there for more than a few hours put the container
in a cooler with a couple of blue ice packs, or a 2 liter pop
bottle with frozen water. Never expose a container full of
insects to the open sun. The temperature can soar, and kill
them. Place a rinsed ½" x ½" moist cube of sponge or
paper towel piece, and some of the agents natural food in the
container. Include plant stems for the insects to climb and
cling too.
Inside the cooler the containers should not be
in direct contact with ice. Releasing the agents on the same day
of capture is best, although they can survive at least for a few
days if they are kept cool. Do not freeze them.
RELEASE
Release
agents onto the same weed, and into the same type environment
they were found in. This will usually be a sunny open area.
Sites that will be free of disturbance over the years are best.
