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Leafy Spurge beetles

Leafy Spurge beetles

bean
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 135

bean
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 135

Leafy Spurge beetles
7/3/2017 at 10:14 PM

Anyone know where I could acquire some leafy Spurge beetles?
SoThisIsLife
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 387

SoThisIsLife
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 387

Never heard of leafy spurge beatles.....
7/3/2017 at 11:40 PM

.....there is a orange/black caterpillar with a horn on the end of his body......used to have tons out here but since they started building up around us a lot of different species have moved out......sad
Actually saw our first one today, apparently these caterpillars were brought from England or somewhere years ago to try and control the leafy spurge.....
JessieJay
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 796

JessieJay
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 796

spurge beetles
7/4/2017 at 12:18 AM

I got some from the municipal office many many years ago. They were quite effective for years, then it seems as if they all died off. The last 4 or 5 years my source has been flourishing.

Yes, leafy spurge beetles are a thing. They are tiny little black/dark brown beetles. I have no idea where you can get them now. I don't think our RM has that control program any more.
cmb
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 36

cmb
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 36

Goats
7/4/2017 at 8:15 AM

Get goats.... they love leafy spurge. Will eat that first before the grass. Work better then beetles.

If you are set on the beetles I would talk to your local Forage specialist at your MB ag centre office they will have better knowledge of the plant and they may have a program that can help you get beetles.
Flutterby

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1554

Flutterby
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1554

Article here
7/4/2017 at 8:28 AM

http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/offices-and-locations/agricultural-pest-management/agricultural-pest-management-resources/sustainable-crop-protection-factsheet-series/archived-content-managing-leafy-spurge-with-a-hungry-beetle/?id=:1243369144165

I sent an email to the contact listed at the end of the article. We will see if there is any answer.

There are also various companies in Canada that sell biological controls, however, I don't know if they sell those beetles:
http://www.naturalinsectcontrol.com/
https://www.thebugfactory.ca/
http://www.anbp.org/

Edited by Flutterby, 2017-07-04 08:30:02
Flutterby

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1554

Flutterby
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1554

Some from Montana
7/4/2017 at 8:58 AM

http://www.bio-control.com/products.php