(5)

        You are a rancher and you have just bought a new piece of land.  In the spring you start getting all of these yellow plants growing.  You can't figure out why your crops aren't growing then you get a letter in the mail saying you need to do something about your problem.  You try to invest in some bugs and you figure out it'll cost you ten-thousand dollars!  Your land is way down in value and so you have no choice!
        In this report I will tell you about: 1) about the insects that attack it, 2) where leafy spurge grows, 3) about the hawkmoth and its attack, and 4) leafy spurge control.
        The copper leafy spurge beetle, the black dot, the flea beetle, the long-horned beetle, and the hawkmoth attack place on the leafy spurge.  The hawkmoth's scientific name is Hyles Euphorbia.  The hawkmoth's family is Spingdae.  It's originally from Europe.  Its method of attack is when it is a larvae.  Its life cycle produces two generations per year.  It goes from egg to larvae to pupae. (1)
        The black dot flea beetle's scientific name is Apthona nigiscutis.  It's family is the Chrysomelidae.  It's originally from Europe.  Its method of attack is when it a larvae is on the root hairs.  Its method of attack when it's an adult is to attack the leaves.  Its collection method is a sweep net. (1)
        The copper leafy spurge's scientific name is Apthona falva and the long horned beetle's scientific name is Oberea erthrocephatra.  The copper leafy spurge beetle's family is Chrysomelidae.  Its originally from Central and Eastern Europe.  Its method of attack is when its an adult is to feed on the leaves.  When it's a larvae its method of attack is it feeds on the roots. The long horned beetle's family is the Cerambycidae.  It's originally from Europe. (1)
        Leafy spurge is originally from Europe.  Leafy spurge now grows in North America (1).  Most of  the insects that eat it are back in Europe (1).  People have to collect the insects and bring them to North America to eat the leafy spurge (3).  The insects have to be in certain weather conditions to survive (1).  One kind of flea beetle needs to be in a place that has a lot of humidity (1).  The other flea beetle must be in dry areas with little vegetation (1).
        Leafy spurge's real name is Euphorbia esula (1).  The beginning of Euphorbia means Europe (2).  It has been Latinized because we Latinize all scientific names (3).  Latin is a dead language because nobody uses it (3).  We have Latinized their names because Latin is a dead language (3).  It  is a dead language because nobody uses it as a first language (3).
        Leafy spurge now has about seven organisms that attack it in Montana (1).  The seven organisms are originally from Europe (1).  Another animal that attacks it are sheep (3).  Cows and deer can't eat it or else they'll get sick (3).  That is the reason it is called a noxious weed (3).  Sheep are about the only useful animal that can eat it (3).
        The hawkmoth attacks the leafy spurge on it's leaves and bracts.  The hawkmoth attacks when it is a larvae.  The hawkmoth is also collected when it is a larvae.  People handpick the larvae off the leafy spurge.  They become larvae during June and early August.  There are five stages (instars) between molts.  These stages require two or three weeks. (1)
           The adults lay their eggs on the leaves and the bracts.  There are seventy to one hundred fifty.  Then they hatch into larvae.  When they are larvae they dig a hole one to three inches.  The cement soil forms a water tight pupal stage that lasts fifteen to twenty days.  Then the larvae feed through the fourth arthropod on spurge before pupation. (1)
        The hawkmoth's scientific name is Hyles Euphorbia The hawkmoth's order is Lepidoptera.  The hawkmoth's family is Spingdae.  It attacks the leaves when it is a larvae.  It was first released in Montana in 1966.  It was first established in 1967. (1)
        People use chemical and biological control on leafy spurge.  People spray chemicals on leafy spurge.  People use fire to get rid of leafy spurge.  People use herbicides to get rid of it.  People use both fire and herbicides to dispose of leafy spurge.  Chemicals are often ineffective and expensive.  People use bacteria to attack the roots.  The bacteria keeps them from producing seeds (4).
        People get insects and release them on their land to control leafy spurge (1).  People find the flea beetle as one of the most effective on the leafy spurge (4).  Insects are very slow to show difference (1).  It is often difficult to get started (1).  It is good because it stays there and doesn't pollute the air (1).  It normally stays only where the leafy spurge is (1).
        People raise sheep and goats to eat leafy spurge (4).  Some ranchers use angora goats to control leafy spurge (4).  Sheep will not (5) graze leafy spurge in some areas.  In a study sheep took twenty percent of their bites from leafy spurge.  In a study goats took sixty-four percent of their bites from leafy spurge.  Goats enjoy leafy spurge more than sheep and sometimes even prefer it (4).
        In this report I talked about: 1) about the insects that attack leafy spurge, 2) where leafy spurge grows, 3) about the hawkmoth and its attack, and 4) leafy spurge control.  In my opinion I think that leafy spurge is a very ugly weed.  I also think that leafy spurge should be taken care of immediately.  I think that insects are about the best choice to get rid of them.  I think that chemicals pollute and are very dangerous.

 (1) Petroff, Reeves, The Biological Control of Noxious Weeds, [slide show text], Gallatin County Weed District,
            December, 1992.

(2) Encarta Encyclopedia, [computer program- Whitehall Middle School Library],1996.

(3) Breitenfeldt, Todd, [personal interview], Whitehall High School, P.O. Box 400, 59759, April, 1998.

(4) Cooley, Keith, R., Peter Palmer, L., Tektran Agriculture Research Service, [website]:
            www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000004/55/0000045515.html, August, 1994.

(5) Masters, Robert, A., Leafy Spurge, [website]:  www.janr.unl.edu.com, Sept. 1997.