Mile-a-Minute Project of the Hudson Valley

Transcription

1 Mile-a-Minute Project of the Hudson Valley 2010 Weed and Weevil Update Stephanie Mogil Highlands Environmental Research Institute (HEnRI) & Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC)

2 Mile-a-Minute: Overview Blueberry-Like Fruits (when mature) & Immature, Green Fruit Downward Facing Barbs on Stem and Leaf Underside Triangular Leaves Ocrea (ahk-ree-ah) Circular leaves that surround stem at node

3 Mile-a-Minute: Country-Wide OR: 1 county in north (Multnomah)

4 Mile-a-Minute Distribution in the Hudson Valley Based on confirmed observations Preferred MAM habitats include: 1. Wetland/Marsh 2. Forest Edge & Harvest Forest Sites 3. Roadsides/Trailsides/Railroads 4. Gardens/Yards 5. Uncultivated & Open Fields 6. Stream Banks/Riparian Zones A handful of new MAM locations found in 2010 Map by Brent Kinal, NY Natural Heritage Program

5 Mile-a-Minute Management Hough-Goldstein et al Photo courtesy of Leslie Mehrhoff MAM is an annual vine with shallow roots - easily pulled, especially small infestations - growth: up to 6 /day, >20 /growing season Seed bank is of concern - can last 6 years Every successful MAM seed crop adds 6 years to MAM management in area of infestation - and in other areas, considering travel by animal and water MAM control efforts should, therefore, focus on reducing or eliminating seed output...

6 Mile-a-Minute Management: Current Practices Spraying... helps with MAM removal, but not entirely specific and can be environmentally harmful Hand-pulling... shallow roots allow easy removal, but have to be conscious of bagging seeds Photo courtesy of Irene Stover Mowing... helps control MAM and, if done regularly, can prevent seeds from growing, but can also increase the potential spread of MAM seeds already present.

7 Mile-a-Minute: Biocontrol Program Past biocontrol: goats!... potential to spread seeds; consumed MAM when last resort and only browsed, did not remove entire plant upon consumption. 1996: USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team (FHTET), University of Delaware, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences begin surveys to find hostspecific enemies of MAM. 2001: MAM weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes L.) colony established; biology and life cycle studied. 2004: mass rearing of weevil by NJ Dept. of Ag. 2004: first weevil release in Delaware; releases in NJ, MD, PA, and WV followed. Search for natural MAM enemies continues in China and Japan.

8 Mile-a-Minute Weevil (R. latipes): Biology High reproductive rate Short generation time Eggs laid on MAM leaves/stems Egg hatch >3 days; bore into stems at nodes, feed internally, and make way to soil where pupation occurs Adults emerge from soil, make way up MAM plants, feed and mate, and lay eggs Most often found at MAM apex or adjacent leaves

9 Mile-a-Minute Weevil Life Cycle (clockwise)

10 Mile-a-Minute Weevil (R. latipes): Biology - continued... In China 2 generations/year Overwinter/hibernate as adult weevils, emerge mid-may when MAM is btw inches in height In culture: females lay eggs (oviposit) 2-8 days after copulation and continue to oviposit for days Test with 25 adult weevil pairs yielded an average egg production of 180 eggs per female No parasites or insect pathogens found in weevils both in field and laboratory In Lab Delaware lab: time of development from egg to adult averaged 26 days Egg production averaged 130 eggs per female Adults observed to live up to 1 year Weevils emerge as adults, black in color, but turn orangebrown after feeding on MAM

11 Host-Specific Studies of MAM weevil to Test Safety of Release in U.S. No-Choice Tests & Choice Tests Choice Tests: R. latipes fed, laid eggs, and survived only on MAM. No-Choice Tests: R. latipes fed on little to no other plant species and neither laid eggs nor completed larval development when placed on plants other than MAM. July 2004: MAM weevil release permit granted by USDA-APHIS. Now mass rearing of weevils at: NJ Dept. of Ag. s Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Laboratory (PABIL), West Trenton, NJ.

12 Mile-a-Minute Weevils Released in New Jersey Floodgate Road (Gloucester County, NJ): 2004: 200 weevils released. 2005: 3,297 weevils released.

13 Mile-a-Minute Weevil Feeding Characteristic shot gun feeding holes of adult MAM Weevils Iona Island Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area

14 Mile-a-Minute Weevil Feeding Iona Island Stephanie A. Mogil Stewart State Forest Stephanie A. Mogil The combination of MAM defoliation caused by adult weevils and larval stem boring creates stress in the plant and a decrease in seed production and an increase in withering. Stephanie A. Mogil

15 2010 HV Mile-a-Minute Weevil Release Sites Stewart State Forest: 3 release sites, 3,000 weevils total Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area: 2 release sites, 1,000 weevils total Iona Island: 2 release sites, 2,000 weevils total (2,000 released in 2009) Hudson Highland Gateway Park: 1 release site, 1,000 weevils total Camp Bluefields, Blauvelt: 2 release sites, 1,000 weevils total Map created by Don Steinmetz, Highlands Environmental Research Institute (HEnRI)

16 Mile-a-Minute Weevil Releases in Other States Delaware: 4 release sites, Weevils recovered in Maryland: 3 release sites, Weevils recovered in Pennsylvania: 7 release sites, Weevils recovered in West Virginia: 2 release sites, Weevils recovered in Information from University of Delaware

17 Permits

18 Questions?

19 Acknowledgements A special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for use of images and/or research in this presentation: Judy Hough-Goldstein, Ellen Lake, Richard Reardon, Yun Wu at the University of Delaware Don Steinmetz, Highlands Environmental Research Institute (HEnRI) Brent Kinal, NY Natural Heritage Program Leslie Mehrhoff, IPANE Irene Stover All the hard-working volunteers involved in the Milea-Minute Project of the Hudson Valley