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Bluff Lake Articles |
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The Beatles, er, Beetles are Here!By Kristin Libberton |
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As development continues at Stapleton, new residents continue to move in, and Bluff Lake is no exception. This summer, 4,000 new inhabitants came to call Bluff Lake home. Don’t worry – you probably won’t even see them. On June 30 th, 4,000 black and amber leafy spurge flea-beetles were released as part of a comprehensive weed management plan to combat leafy spurge. Leafy spurge, a highly competitive weed, was first introduced in the United States in the early 1800’s, from Europe or Asia. As one of the 1 st plants to emerge each spring, spurge drives out competition by shading other plants, hogging water & nutrients and releasing toxins. It is found in almost all soil types and habitats. |
Fun fact: |
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Leafy spurge is characterized by a white-latex material found throughout the plant, making it distasteful to most animals and insects. Seeds are dispersed by water, birds, animals and people. Who’s who ? Both the black and amber leafy spurge flea beetle species are native to Europe. They produce 1 generation/year, with the females laying 200-300 eggs. The insects overwinter as larvae in the plants' roots. They pupate in a soil cell (separate from the plant) during the late spring, and adults can be found on the leaves from mid-June to July. How'd they do that? The beetles affect the spurge plants in two ways. The adults feed on the leaves and create "shot-holes". These holes reduce the plant's ability to photosynthesize and produce sugars that go to the roots. The larvae, who inflict the most damage, feed on the roots and limit the plant's capacity to take up moisture and nutrients. International travelers: Flea-beetles are found as far east as China and as far west as France. There is also a North American Leafy spurge beetle, that actually has very little impact on leafy spurge. Ironically, leafy spurge is not typically a problem in its native lands. Entomologists looking for new biocontrol agents overseas often have a hard time finding large patches of spurge in which to test the biocontrols’ effectiveness. What’s on the menu? While they prefer to eat only 1 thing, flea-beetles are eaten by many others , including: chickadees, purple finches, titmice, vireos, warblers, toads, spiders, ants, ground beetles, soldier bugs, tchind flies and braconid wasps. |
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Bluff Lake Nature Center 303-468-3240 • Fax 303-393-6805 • 7350 E. 29th Ave, Ste 300, Denver, CO 80238 |
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