Jefferson Valley Conservation District Tour of Insectary, Greenhouse and mtwow.org Web Site 10-99.

    Collecting weevils for release.
      Marion Johns (FSA) collects weevils from insectary #1.

 
      Tour participants learn about mass rearing spotted knapweed root boring weevils.

      Tour participants from left to right: Maxine Kays (FSA), Julie Sacks (NRCS), [kneeling] Linda Dyk (FSA), Todd Breitenfeldt (WHS), [child] Skye B., Marion Johns (FSA), Dennis Connelly (FSA).  Touring greenhouse where students are rearing Dalmatian and yellow toadflax to feed the larvae of Calophasia lunula that they are mass rearing and storing for spring release.  All photo's above by Loni Amos.

      Loni Amos (WHS Student/Worker- black shirt) replaces Todd Breitenfeldt in photo.  Note lights in greenhouse that are left on from 6 AM to 11 PM to keep the toadflax plants fooled into "thinking" it is not winter and going dormant on us.  We need the plants to keep producing foliage to feed the larvae as we cycle the larvae through several generations during the school year to build up our populations for release.  Photo by Todd Breitenfeldt.


      Tour Schedule: October 12, 1999
      9:15AM-Meet at USDA Service Center in Whitehall
      9:30-9:45AM-Travel to Temple Ranch
      9:45-10:15AM-Temple Ranch EQIP
      10:15-11:00AM-Travel to Sarah Faith Ranch (George Kahrl)
      11:00-12:30PM-Sarah Faith Ranch EQIP
      12:30-1:00PM-Travel to Wheat Montana Deli
      1:00-2:00PM-Lunch at Wheat Montana Deli (on your own)
      2:00-2:45PM-Travel to Johns Ranch
      2:45-3:30PM-Johns Ranch EQIP
      3:30-3:40PM-Travel to Fitzgerald Ranch Seed Plots
      3:40-4:10PM-Fitzgerald Ranch Seed Plots
      4:10-4:30PM-Travel to Whitehall High School
      4:30-5:15PM-Noxious Weed Bug Presentation at Whitehall H.S.
      5:15-5:30PM-Travel to USDA Service Center in Whitehall


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