More trouble from the she-bear
BY THE BLAINE COUNTY BUG CREW
It’s that time of year; noxious weeds are in bloom! The frontrunner of this invasion is the all-too-powerful Russian knapweed.
Russian knapweed is a perennial plant that reproduces mainly by way of its creeping roots. However, a single plant can also produce over 1200 seeds. These seeds vary in color from grey to ivory and are produced from August to September.
The stems are openly branched and typically are 45-90 centimeters tall. Russian knapweed produces flowers that range in color from pink to blue. Flowering begins in June and continues through September.
As the Blaine County Bug Crew, it is our job to limit the noxious weed infestation as much as possible. We do this by using insects as predators for the most threatening noxious weeds in our area. The particular bug that is used to eliminate Russian knapweed is called Jaapiella ivannikovi. This is a gall midge that lays its eggs in the stem of the target weed. When the eggs have reached larval stage, they proceed to draw nutrients from the plant, thus weakening it.
If you have any Russian knapweed concerns, please give the Blaine Bug Crew a call at (208) 316-0355.
Warnings about noxious weeds may seem trivial until you look at their damages based on numbers: $300 million annually in loses to our economy; $20 million to fight noxious weeds on the ground; and more than 8 million acres of land and water infested by noxious weeds. (Resource: www.idahoweedawareness.org).
Noxious weeds are a serious matter and you can help us fight them. The Blaine County Noxious Weed Department, along with the Blaine County CWMA, would like to assist you in identifying the 67 noxious weeds in the state of Idaho.
The Blaine County Noxious Weed Department is a great resource for property owners (remember, property owners are obligated by law to control all noxious weeds on their property) and can assist with weed identification, management plans, tools, and general information. For more information, call (208) 788-5543 or visit www.blainecounty.org.