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Roger Batt notes that these perennial plants are really hard to get rid of because of the creeping root system and the fact that it produces two and a half million seeds a year. He says you would think you would not be able to take care of something like this, but it appears that there is an effective biological control beetle called Galerucella. Bonnie Davis agrees that there has been a lot of success with this beetle in some of the neighboring counties. Bonnie notes that they released Galerucella in this location two years ago that they had found in Payette and Canyon Counties. She notes that for biocontrol to work it is important that you leave the spot alone - there can be no spraying, no tillage, no fire, anything. However, she explains that this past spring this whole area burned. She felt that the insects were probably back on location when the fire happened and they probably perished at that time. Now there is no sign the beetles have survived. The intent is for the county to get some more Galerucella in here to control the Purple Loosestrife plants in this riparian area.
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