Tamarisk - The Noxious Western Tree
Wednesday March 11, 2009
"Bug scientists in seven states will unleash swarms of hungry Asian beetles on a stubborn tree species that is choking life out of the West's waterways", reports USAToday. Saltcedar or tamarisk is an invasive tree that is rapidly depleting the wetlands of the U.S. west of their essential moisture.
Experts say tamarisk is reducing ground water - the same ground water that is so very precious to the Southwestern desert. Entomologists have assured government inspectors that the foliage-eating Asian beetle will consume only the leaves of a tamarisk tree. Others scientists are not so sure...
Comments
idiots!!!!!!!!!!!the asian beetle is not decerning about what it consumes they most likeley run rampant and then they will have to use tons of toxic pesticides to kill them off or just controll the population. better off starting a job core and investing in some chain saws. Im sure the local troubled youth would love the work and new direction in there lives. You could probably set-up a loging mill also and turn out a tidy little proffit.
The asian beetle to control tamarisk, you would do just as well to release the asian carp into the colorado river to do the same. ask anyone in the midwest about the asian nuisance beetle that didnt do anything it was released to do. on a nice warm evening though they will thoroughly cover the west side of your home and invade your home through any entry way possible. lose the people with the MBAs and look under tree services in the yellow pages!
I am trying to convince my homeowners assoication that the Tamarisk trees lining our park are dangerous to our #1 rated water in the country. They suck the water from our lawns, trees and plants. They push up our patios.Plus they are expensive to trim each year, as the roots grow larger and longer.
I have cut mine down to stumps and would like a sure-fire way to kill them.
Thank you.
Idiots! You don’t unleash an invasive species to control an invasive species!!! I like the idea about the troubled youths though as a tongue in cheek solution. They could award an incentive for every tamarisk tree trunk brought to certain places (mills? City Hall?).
Poisonous toads,rabbits,foxs bugs and beetles,we never learn that trying to rid ourselves of a problem by creating another one is not the answer. It will only be a matter of time before these beetle decide it is easier to eat something else and then where will we be,another invasive bug that we cannot stop.I think we should experiment on the brains of the so called scientistsm on what are they thionking about?