Wisconsin Purple Wisconsin Purple Loosestrife (PL) Biological Loosestrife (PL) Biological

Control (BC) ProgramControl (BC) ProgramGovernmental agencies and citizens cooperate to Governmental agencies and citizens cooperate to

control an established, invasive wetland plant…control an established, invasive wetland plant…

PL arrived in Wis. Around PL arrived in Wis. Around 1900 and by 1980s it was 1900 and by 1980s it was

out of controlout of control The map at right The map at right

shows its distribution shows its distribution in 1988in 1988

PL was in almost PL was in almost every county and every county and spreadingspreading

Many control methods Many control methods were used, but they were used, but they were unable to stop were unable to stop its expansionits expansion

Wis. teamed with Wis. teamed with other states to other states to support international support international BC research efforts, BC research efforts, and control insects and control insects became available in became available in 19941994

Wisconsin’s Biocontrol Wisconsin’s Biocontrol Program had to have three Program had to have three

critical parts:critical parts:

1.1. Research to ensure BC safety & Research to ensure BC safety & effectiveness in the state, and to effectiveness in the state, and to integrate it with other control methodsintegrate it with other control methods

2.2. An easy and inexpensive method (for An easy and inexpensive method (for anyone) to rear and release large anyone) to rear and release large numbers of control insectsnumbers of control insects

3.3. An educational program to enlist citizen An educational program to enlist citizen help in locating PL infestations, raising help in locating PL infestations, raising and releasing BC insects, and and releasing BC insects, and monitoring and reporting resultsmonitoring and reporting results

European “Cella” beetles European “Cella” beetles are our primary control are our primary control

insects insects 2 very similar 2 very similar

beetle species, 4 beetle species, 4 life stages:life stages:

Galerucella Galerucella pusillapusilla and and G. G. calmariensiscalmariensis

Introduced Introduced together in 1994together in 1994—north and —north and southsouth

Monitoring in the Monitoring in the state showed state showed them to be safe them to be safe and effectiveand effective

Cella beetles reduce PL and Cella beetles reduce PL and allow native plants to allow native plants to

recover:recover:Navarino SWA site in 1994 Navarino SWA site in 1994

and 1997and 1997

Cella beetle success: larvae Cella beetle success: larvae destroy developing flowers destroy developing flowers

& reduce seed& reduce seed

Navarino’s decline in PL Navarino’s decline in PL flower/seed production is flower/seed production is clear-& biggest successclear-& biggest success

P u r p l e L o o s e s t r i f e a t N a v a r i n o

F lo w e r P r o d u c t io n ( t o t a l r a c e m e le n g t h )

2 0 4 .4

1 4 4 .1

2 0 .7 4

3 .4 3 0 .2 00

5 0

1 0 0

1 5 0

2 0 0

2 5 0

1 9 9 4 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 2 0 0 0

Y e a r

Me

an

pe

r p

lan

t (c

m)

Navarino’s decline in Navarino’s decline in number of PL stems is also number of PL stems is also

dramaticdramaticP u r p l e L o s s e s t r i f e a t N a v a r i n o

N u m b e r o f S t e m s

1 9 .2

3 .82 .8 2 .7

3 .2

n o d a tan o d a ta0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0

2 5

1 9 9 4 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 2 0 0 0

Y e a r

Me

an

pe

r p

aln

t

Navarino’s changes in percent Navarino’s changes in percent cover and PL heights, however, cover and PL heights, however, show PL remains on the site show PL remains on the site

Top graph of percent cover Top graph of percent cover shows initial increase as shows initial increase as beetle numbers increase, beetle numbers increase, then real decline, but much then real decline, but much variabilityvariability

PL stem heights show the PL stem heights show the samesame

The important future The important future questions are will the questions are will the variability remain variability remain (probably) and will the (probably) and will the amplitude of the variation amplitude of the variation be within acceptable be within acceptable management goals (likely management goals (likely based on positive based on positive management responses)management responses)

P u r p l e L o o s e s t r i f e a t N a v a r i n o

P e r c e n t C o v e r

4 1 .4

5 6 .9

1 1 .3

2 7 .7

1 1 .2

1 8 .4

2 6

1 0 .4

n o d a tan o d a ta0

1 0

2 0

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

1 9 9 4 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 3

Y e a r

%

P u r p l e L o o s e s t r i f e a t N a v a r i n o

M a x im u m H e ig h t

1 1 11 1 7

6 4

8 3

6 2

8 0

5 7

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 0

1 4 0

1 9 9 4 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 2 0 0 0

Y e a r

Me

an

pe

r p

lan

t (c

m)

A simple backyard A simple backyard rearing set-up:rearing set-up:

Transplant PL Transplant PL rootstocks into rootstocks into pots and add pots and add sleeve cages sleeve cages (insect netting)(insect netting)

Put the pots into a Put the pots into a kid wading pool kid wading pool with water and with water and suspend the cagessuspend the cages

Add 10 beetles per Add 10 beetles per potpot

Release 1,000 Release 1,000 beetles in 6-8 beetles in 6-8 weeks by weeks by dispersing pots dispersing pots and removing and removing cagescages

Make the process easy and Make the process easy and cheap by supplying most cheap by supplying most

needed gear for freeneeded gear for free Program supplies 3 to Program supplies 3 to

5 gallon pots, wading 5 gallon pots, wading pools, and nettingpools, and netting

Cooperators buy Cooperators buy potting soil, sew potting soil, sew cages, and dig roots cages, and dig roots out of a local wetlandout of a local wetland

Program delivers Program delivers starter beetles when starter beetles when cooperators’ plants cooperators’ plants are 2’ tallare 2’ tall

Cooperators monitor Cooperators monitor beetles and release beetles and release them at the right time them at the right time and report their workand report their work

An educational effort to An educational effort to involve citizens is involve citizens is

complicated & ours has complicated & ours has included:included:

Recruiting: DNR press releases, local newspaper Recruiting: DNR press releases, local newspaper stories, radio interviews, TV programs, stories, radio interviews, TV programs, conference talks, etc. about invasive species, conference talks, etc. about invasive species, especially about PL and its BCespecially about PL and its BC

Training: free statewide spring field trips to Training: free statewide spring field trips to wetlands with PL and beetles, conference wetlands with PL and beetles, conference workshops, informational and training sessions workshops, informational and training sessions for groups as requestedfor groups as requested

Offering complete written instructions on the Offering complete written instructions on the web and in hard copy in an Educators’ Manual web and in hard copy in an Educators’ Manual that also has 15 curricular activities to entice that also has 15 curricular activities to entice teachers into the programteachers into the program

Making easy forms available on the web to make Making easy forms available on the web to make reporting PL locations, program application, gear reporting PL locations, program application, gear requests, reporting release site locations, and requests, reporting release site locations, and monitoring beetles and plants easymonitoring beetles and plants easy

Spring field trips allow Spring field trips allow potential cooperators to potential cooperators to see infested wetlands, see infested wetlands, effects of BC, and help effects of BC, and help collect adult beetles for collect adult beetles for rearing or immediate rearing or immediate dispersal to new sites!dispersal to new sites!

Educational and Educational and instructional materials are instructional materials are available on the web and in available on the web and in

hard copyhard copy Perhaps the most important aspect of Perhaps the most important aspect of

the project is to show how successful the project is to show how successful BC can be, butBC can be, but

Just as important is its educational Just as important is its educational potential:potential:

Over 800 copies of “See Cella Chow!” Over 800 copies of “See Cella Chow!” are now in use (new manual to be are now in use (new manual to be printed this winter)printed this winter)

Appendices include the history of PL Appendices include the history of PL in Wis., all rearing instructions, and in Wis., all rearing instructions, and forms (soon to be printed separately forms (soon to be printed separately as a project primer)as a project primer)

15 educational activities to make it 15 educational activities to make it easy for educators of all kinds to easy for educators of all kinds to make the project a real learning make the project a real learning experience to add to the fun!experience to add to the fun!

See at See at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/publications/ss981_2003.htmwww.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/publications/ss981_2003.htm))

Results of the program thru 6/08: Results of the program thru 6/08: Over 23 million beetles have been Over 23 million beetles have been released, with 90+% locally raised released, with 90+% locally raised

and released by citizens!and released by citizens! Over 600 citizen groups have Over 600 citizen groups have

raised beetles!raised beetles! These cooperators are These cooperators are

farmers, insurance people, farmers, insurance people, nurses, single parents, nurses, single parents, teachers and their students, teachers and their students, federal employees, county federal employees, county workers, and so on…workers, and so on…

Releases have been at almost Releases have been at almost 1500 sites statewide!1500 sites statewide!

More cooperators are setting More cooperators are setting up local PL sites with beetles up local PL sites with beetles where they can collect where they can collect beetles to simply release on beetles to simply release on other nearby sites (though other nearby sites (though only until the beetles only until the beetles decimate the PL and the decimate the PL and the beetles decline to wait for beetles decline to wait for more PL!)more PL!)

Perhaps less than ¼ of all PL Perhaps less than ¼ of all PL sites now have BC so we still sites now have BC so we still have a long way to go…have a long way to go…

Perhaps most important: The Perhaps most important: The program makes more program makes more

citizens true nature warriors citizens true nature warriors by giving them a personal by giving them a personal

way to help solve a real way to help solve a real environmental problem environmental problem

where they live:where they live: They need and get They need and get

detailed steps they can detailed steps they can take every day to help take every day to help (reduce PL)(reduce PL)

They are enriched thru They are enriched thru personal environmental personal environmental work work

Here a Rotary Club Here a Rotary Club member is proud of member is proud of having collected having collected beetles for his club’s beetles for his club’s projectproject

Many cooperators Many cooperators move to other move to other environmental projects environmental projects when done rearing when done rearing beetles…beetles…

Kids who get involved early Kids who get involved early in life never give up their in life never give up their

love of nature & will be our love of nature & will be our environmental caretakers!environmental caretakers!

Please contact me with comments, questions, Please contact me with comments, questions, and suggestions!and suggestions!

Brock.Woods@Wisconsin.govBrock.Woods@Wisconsin.gov; 608-221-6349; 608-221-6349