Weed control — naturally with insects: Beetles to attack leafy spurge in Utah County

Insects are kept in greenhouse quarantines for at least three years when they first arrive in the United States. During that time, the bugs are placed on the leaves of other plants to see if the agents can live on any plant other than the host weed. If the bugs fail by starting to feed, they are rejected from the testing process and barred from entering the country.

USDA biological control technician Amber Richman, who oversees biological control in Utah and Nevada, says the organization is 99.9 percent sure that the bugs will never resort to eating other plants to survive after they have killed off their host weed.

Richman says that 100 years of using biological control problems has never caused a problem, but biology can be slightly unpredictable.

"When you actually look at it, it would take several genetic mutations all in one generation for (biocontrol agents) to actually be able to utilize the chemicals in another plant," Richman said. "The idea of them actually living on something else is just incredibly rare, and that's why we're sure they work."

Richman said she is working on cultivating an insectary within the next five years for biocontrol agents that can help fight morning glory and be suitable for residential areas.

The Uinta National Forest Pleasant Grove Ranger District is planning its first release that will target leafy spurge in the hills above Alpine this month.

Marcy DeMillion, natural resource staff officer for the Pleasant Grove Ranger District, said the organization would have released biocontrol agents sooner, but leafy spurge wasn't identified as a problem until last summer, when the area's weed population was mapped.

"We're really striving for public involvement so the public can inform us of what's in their back yard, because really, their back yard is a national forest," DeMillion said. "If these noxious weeds are growing in a national forest or in the areas (people) recreate in, we are hoping they can help us control them. Without public involvement, it would be really hard to control noxious weed populations."

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