June 14, 2006
Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Monitoring
The Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Project (PLBP) at Fresh Pond Reservation that was started in the fall of 2006 involves measuring the growth of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) plants and looking for the presence of Galerucella beetles in test "quadrats" in the Little Fresh Pond wetland where 5000 beetles were released in the spring of 2007. The beetles, which have been studied extensively, are known to eat and live on only the invasive L. salicaria. Once a population of beetles has become established, they will do enough damage to the loosestrife that it can no longer outgrow and crowd out native species.
The photos show two teams of monitors counting and taking measurements. This spring there was considerable evidence of beetle damage throughout the wetland. A fall monitoring session will reveal whether growth and seed production have been reduced, and whether we will need to release more beetles next spring.