Posted by Tim on July 22, 2009, 2:08 pm
Hi
If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on BBC
Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park between 0700
and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA consultation about
introducing an insect to eat it.
That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to someone.
Tim
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lusername/
http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
Posted by Jeff Layman on July 22, 2009, 2:48 pm
Tim wrote:
> Hi
> If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on
> BBC Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park
> between 0700 and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA
> consultation about introducing an insect to eat it.
> That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to
> someone.
> Tim
May cause an even greater problem - look at the introduction of the Cane
Toad in Queensland. Then again, in the same country, the Mexican Cochineal
insect wiped out the Opuntia which had gone crazy over there, and then died
out as its host plant had gone.
--
Jeff
Posted by Stewart Robert Hinsley on July 22, 2009, 3:03 pm
>Tim wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on
>> BBC Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park
>> between 0700 and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA
>> consultation about introducing an insect to eat it.
>>
>> That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to
>> someone.
>> Tim
>May cause an even greater problem - look at the introduction of the Cane
>Toad in Queensland. Then again, in the same country, the Mexican Cochineal
>insect wiped out the Opuntia which had gone crazy over there, and then died
>out as its host plant had gone.
There's already been press about this. Supposedly they've been careful
about testing that the insect doesn't switch to any native plants. See,
for example
http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Predator-vs-alien-Killer-bug.5027366.jp
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley
Posted by Jeff Layman on July 23, 2009, 6:14 am
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
>> Tim wrote:
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on
>>> BBC Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park
>>> between 0700 and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA
>>> consultation about introducing an insect to eat it.
>>>
>>> That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to
>>> someone.
>>> Tim
>>
>> May cause an even greater problem - look at the introduction of the Cane
>> Toad in Queensland. Then again, in the same country, the Mexican
>> Cochineal insect wiped out the Opuntia which had gone crazy over there,
>> and then died out as its host plant had gone.
>>
> There's already been press about this. Supposedly they've been careful
> about testing that the insect doesn't switch to any native plants. See,
> for example
> http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Predator-vs-alien-Killer-bug.5027366.jp
More info here:
http://www.cabi.org/japaneseknotweedalliance/default.aspx?site 9&pageP
I find this statement in tha FAQs interesting:
"Will releasing a natural control agent eradicate Japanese knotweed in the
UK?
No. Eradication is not the normal outcome of natural control since it is not
in the agent's best interest to eradicate its only food source. Long-term
control, below an economic or environmental threshold, should be
anticipated."
Seems that they are suggesting the psyllid bug has some degree of choice in
the matter! The cochineal insect eradicated opuntia. We can only hope that
the psyllid bug will be able to do the same.
--
Jeff
Posted by Stewart Robert Hinsley on July 23, 2009, 7:03 am
>Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
>>> Tim wrote:
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on
>>>> BBC Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park
>>>> between 0700 and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA
>>>> consultation about introducing an insect to eat it.
>>>>
>>>> That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to
>>>> someone.
>>>> Tim
>>>
>>> May cause an even greater problem - look at the introduction of the Cane
>>> Toad in Queensland. Then again, in the same country, the Mexican
>>> Cochineal insect wiped out the Opuntia which had gone crazy over there,
>>> and then died out as its host plant had gone.
>>>
>> There's already been press about this. Supposedly they've been careful
>> about testing that the insect doesn't switch to any native plants. See,
>> for example
>>
>> http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Predator-vs-alien-Killer-bug.5027366.jp
>More info here:
>http://www.cabi.org/japaneseknotweedalliance/default.aspx?site 9&pageP
>I find this statement in tha FAQs interesting:
>"Will releasing a natural control agent eradicate Japanese knotweed in the
>UK?
>No. Eradication is not the normal outcome of natural control since it is not
>in the agent's best interest to eradicate its only food source. Long-term
>control, below an economic or environmental threshold, should be
>anticipated."
>Seems that they are suggesting the psyllid bug has some degree of choice in
>the matter! The cochineal insect eradicated opuntia. We can only hope that
>the psyllid bug will be able to do the same.
There's another reason for not expecting eradication. When Japanese
Knotweed becomes scarce the bugs will find it difficult to locate the
last few remaining plants, and therefore become scarce themselves,
giving the knotweed a respite. What they are aiming for is a stable
equilibrium at a low frequency - complete eradication would be a bonus
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley
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> If anyone's interested I've just been told to look out for Simon Ford on
> BBC Breakfast news tomorrow morning. He'll be live from Newark Park
> between 0700 and 0900 discussing Japanese Knotweed and a new DEFRA
> consultation about introducing an insect to eat it.
> That's all the info I have but I thought it might be of interest to
> someone.
> Tim