Getting rid of invasive plants using bugs: AISC
A biological control release program for invasive plants is a way for landowners or agricultural producers to not have to spray to get rid of certain types of weeds or highly invasive plants. This is done by releasing a certain type of insect which makes a beeline for the weeds and perhaps not crops.
Megan Evans, executive director of the Alberta Invasive Species council describes the Biological more of an operational program and less of outreach kind of educational opportunity, but we always do promote integrated pest management.
There is a lot of different ways to control (an invasive) species and we need to use all those different tools for bio control is one of the tools that we can utilize. And we do have some established biochemical agents. So, agents, typically in Alberta, we're talking about insects that originated in the same place where the plant species originated right so they evolved together, and in most cases biocontrol agents like the insects we're talking about, they specialize, so they feed exclusively on that plant, that's the characteristic of the bio control agent. Agents go through tons of research, it literally takes a decade and a lot of money to get to research, find the appropriate insect or whatever it is, and get approval to release, to make sure they're not going to go feed on native plants and become a pest problem right, because that is the last thing we want to do.”
The definition given by the Alberta Invasive Species Council is that “biological control or biocontrol is the suppression of populations of pests using living organisms. Since 2016, the Alberta Invasive Species Council (AISC) has been the project coordinator for a biological control release program using host-specific insects for invasive plants in Alberta. The program reintroduces proven specialist insects to invasive plants from countries where they originated, weakening the competitive advantage these plants gain from escaping their natural predators in their invaded range. Biocontrol agents are self-sustaining and require little input after they are released, making them a valuable tool in integrated pest management programs.”
Evans explains these are variable research with established bio control agents in Alberta AIFC long running program It really started with the Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen and Agriculture Canada, and AIFC got involved a little bit later. “We now have the operational release of a number of environmental agents to receive some changes to the program for this year. But for 2021, we are going to be offering, just the leafy spurge flea beetles, which is like the most popular agent that people would purchase.
“So for producers, landowners, land managers, if you have a major leafy spurge infestation and you're interested in another means of control that we can offer biocontrol releases, they are $900, but 2000 insects, and they may or may not become established but we'll work with the producers and land managers to find an appropriate location to go from there and basically provide them the guidance to, to hopefully get the creatures established,” explains Evans who adds they just have leafy spurge for this year due to a transition period of a lack of assistance for 2021. “It’s a really important program and we're really pleased to be a part of it. Look forward to growing it being able to offer some of those other agents as well.
“It is logistical for us for this year because of staffing changes. So again it's a bit of a blip, and we hope to be able to offer them all in the future so I think there's agents for six or seven evasive plants species available, but we're only offering the beetle because it is the most popular and that’s the one people ask for the most. So, we're focusing in on one agent.
In the future how it will be decided what is offered will be up to Alberta researchers and they work with land managers to figure out which plants are the most problematic that really do need bio control.
“So typically, you wouldn’t use bio control as a control method if you had a small attestation, what we'd recommend if you had a small infestation is trying to eradicate it. Because the bio controls, is really going to work is that it would prevent it from spreading,” says Evans. “That's typically how the bio control agents work so again it's about recognizing there are a lot of different tools that we can use to manage diseases, and sometimes it requires a little bit of research, but it's important to use as many of those different tools as possible and recognizing when those tools are the most appropriate for the occasion.”