Bio-agent Collection Numbers
Biocontrol Agent Collection, and Redistribution Efforts
Aphthona sp. (flea beetles) -leafy spurge root feeding beetles (6 species). [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008]
Agapeta zoegana -knapweed root boring moth. [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008]
Calophasia lunula -toadflax defoliator. [2003] [2004] [stopped collecting, not an effective bio-agent].
Cyphocleonus achates -knapweed root boring weevil. [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008]
Larinus minutus -knapweed seed head weevil. [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008]
Mecinus janthinus -toadflax stem boring weevil. [2003] [2004] [2005 & '06, no collectable numbers] [2007] [2008]
Oberea erythrocephala -leafy spurge root boring beetle. [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008]
Sphenoptera jugoslavica -knapweed root boring beetle. [2003] [2004] [no collectable numbers]
Bioagent Collection Numbers History:
Oberea erythrocephala:
2000 = 250
2001 = 500
2002 = 1,567 (500 collected by public on net day)
2003 = 3,160 (over 800 collected by public on net days, often mixed with flea beetles).
2004 = 2,778 (This is probably a final number for the summer. We held several public collection days. Numbers were lower than last year for 2 reasons: 1) a lack of spurge at our major collection site, and 2) we did not emphasize collection of this bio-agent as much because Oberea are becoming established through out much of our area and most of our local flea beetle collections include a number of Oberea. The Oberea collected along with flea beetles are not included in the 2004 Oberea total.)
2005 = 2,485 (We collected less because they are fairly well established on all spurge patches within the County)
2006 = 492 (We are not collecting these unless requested by other programs as they are established through out our area.)
Larinus minutus:
2002 = 7,840 (2,400 collected by public on net day)
2003 = 17,468 (3,000 collected by public on net day, APHIS collected with us and shipped weevils to 28 MT
counties and Washington State. Our collection site looks to be even better next year if the number of damaged
seed heads is any indication.)
2004 = 22,360 (we held several public collection days and we are still collecting these)
2005 = 23,695 (We collected less because they are fairly well established through out the County)
2006 = 3,291 (We are not collecting these unless requested by other programs as they are established through out our area.)
Aphthona spp.:
2002 = 535,000 (over half collected on a Grassrange trip of which 234,000 were released into Jefferson and Madison Counties in about 78 releases/augments of 3,000 flea beetles each. The remaining flea beetles went to the BLM, and the three new programs like ours in Augusta, Townsend and Warm Springs [the State game ranges near Anaconda and Deerlodge]. Therefore, 138 new area releases or augments were created just within the 2 Counties.)
2003 = 252,000 (We did not go to Grassrange to collect however, 108,000 of these were brought to our net day by ARS. Therefore, 144,000 were collected locally, many by the public at net collection days. Several of our A. lacertosa sites are just ready to really take off and produce large numbers in 2004/5. We have a collection trip planned with Dillon BLM to the Grassrange area for 2004.)
2004 = 1,827,500. (We collected 1,600,000 at Grassrange, the rest locally, mostly A. lacertosa. Of which 400,000 went to Dillon BLM & 200,000 to Butte BLM)
2005 = 1,611,000 (We collected 1,500,000 at Grassrange this year with the help of the teachers and students from the summer class and several BLM employees, the rest locally)
2006 = 834,000 (We only collected 750,000 at Grass Range this year because of weather and the site is crashing.)
Cyphocleonus achates:
2001 = 3,381
2002 = 1,011
2003 = 2,272 (expanded and replanted insectaries should produce more in the next 2 yrs.)
2004 = 2,431
2005 = 2,721 (we are doing more field collecting from well established sites)
2006 = 6,009 (we are doing more field collecting from well established sites, including a trip to the Victor/Darby area.)
Agapeta zoegana:
2001 = 500
2002 = 500
2003 = 700 (these numbers seem to hold quite steady, all collected out of the insectaries).
2004 = 605
2005 = 1,604 (We used our new insect vacuums from Jefferson Co. to field collect more)
2006 = 2,292 (Our collection site had a good year this year!)
Mecinus janthinus:
2003 = 500 (received from Washington State).
2004 = 800 (these were received by Madison and Jefferson Counties and we purchased 2 releases).
2005 = 1,000 (received by Jefferson and Madison Counties.)
2006 = 0 (it rained on our ARS collection day…)
Market Value of Bioagents Distributed in 2003:
Aphthona spp.: 252,000/500 = 504 releases of 500 @ $50 = $25,200
Oberea erythrocephala: 3160/110 = 29 releases of 110 @ $225 = $6,525
Larinus minutus: 17,468/105 = 166 releases of 110 @ $100 = $16,600
Cyphocleonus achates: 2,272/105 = 22 releases of 105 @ $105 = $2,310
Agapeta zoegana: 700/105 = 6 releases of 105 @ $200 = $1,200
Total……………………………………………………….. $51,835
Market Value of Bioagents Distributed in 2004:
Aphthona spp.: 1,827,500/500 = 3,655 releases of 500 @ $50 = $182,750 (We released in units of 3,000 or 7,500 however, many of the larger releases were divided into multiple releases by the land owners).
Oberea erythrocephala: 2,778/110 = 25 releases of 110 @ $225 = $5,625
Larinus minutus: 22,360/105 = 212 releases of 110 @ $100 = $21,200
Cyphocleonus achates: 0/105 = 22 releases of 105 @ $105 = $0.0
Agapeta zoegana: 315/105 = 3 releases of 105 @ $200 = $600
Total……………………………………………………….. $210,175
Market Value of Bioagents Collected/Distributed in 2005:
Aphthona spp.: 1,611,500/500 = 3,223 releases of 500 @ $50 = $161,150
[1,500,000 collected on Grassrange trip with BLM and Teachers attending Whitehall Project summer class. BLM and teachers took many releases (about 1/3) to their lands and counties for their programs. The rest were released locally by many happy landowners.]
Oberea erythrocephala: 2,485/110 = 22 releases of 110 @ $225 = $4,950
Larinus minutus: 24,165/105 = 230 releases of 105 @ $100 = $23,000
Cyphocleonus achates: 2,721 = 25 releases of 105 @ $105 = $2,625
Agapeta zoegana: 1,400/105 = 13 releases of 105 @ $200 = $2,600
Total………………………………………………………..$194,325
Market Value of Bioagents Collected/Distributed by the Whitehall Project in 2006:
Aphthona spp.: 834,000/500 = 1,668 releases of 500 @ $50 = $83,400 [750,000 collected on Grass Range trip with BLM and Teachers attending Whitehall Project summer class. BLM and teachers took many releases (about 1/3) to their lands and counties for their programs. The rest were released locally by many happy landowners.]
Oberea erythrocephala: 492/110 = 4 releases of 110 @ $225 = $440
Larinus minutus: 3,291/105 = 31 releases of 105 @ $100 = $3,100
Cyphocleonus achates: 6,009/105 = 57 releases of 105 @ $105 = $5,985
Agapeta zoegana: 2,292/105 = 22 releases of 105 @ $200 = $4,400
Total………………………………………………………..$97,325
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