According to the BBC news there are movements to introduce the Knotweed killer Psyllid bug.. as this plant infests our rivers and waterways this can only be good news? Also, another food for the fish and fly imitation to tye... looks like a sedge.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles...o-tackle-weeds

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Before you cast the fly, make sure you can handle the fish! Vuoi imbrogliare? Poi Non competere! (If you want to cheat, then dont compete)

Goolge this bug, not a good thing if you're a Farmer!

fae

Aphalara itadori - and is like many of these - VERY host specific.

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Plusnet/Madasafish > Liars to the internet community

Surely they wont just introduce these insects without rigorous tests etc?

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Before you cast the fly, make sure you can handle the fish! Vuoi imbrogliare? Poi Non competere! (If you want to cheat, then dont compete)

Radio report says they've done them. Release is to specific areas under licence. Illegal for you or I to move them!
GD

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We come from dust; we return to dust. I'm going to fish

Then all we need is a beastie to eat Giant Hogweed and Himalayan Balsam.

Happy days.

---------- Post added at 08:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 AM ----------

I suppose the question for me would be how effective is this insect in combatting the problem compared with a man, a knapsack sprayer and a gallon of glyphosate.You can't exactly tell and insect which bits to eat first?

It may make a mess of the River bank but ive seem 3 pigs clear about 30 square feet of this stuff in a Day the seemed to be knocking it down then digging to get at the roots.
Looking into the DEFRA reports this Bug will only contain and not eradicate

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Allan
Only dead fish go with the flow.

GOOD IDEA!!!! Introducing a non-native species to control a non-native species has worked really well in the past!!!!

Cane toad introduced to control the cane beetle in Australia, decimated native reptile and amphibian populations as anything that eats it is poisoned.

Rhinocyllus conicus (seed weevil) introduced to North America to control an invasive thistle (very similar to the situation with knotweed) also targetted native plants and decimated native insects by competing for food etc...

Harmonia axyridis introduced to USA to control aphids, also ate native ladybirds.

There are hundreds of examples of this and although i know there are also cases where biological control agents ahve been successful i do not see how it is wise to take this risk. Ecosystems are so complicated that it is almost impossible to predict what effect these introductions will have, they may well be releasing an insect which will find a native plant to its liking and have few natural predators.

I would also like to hear what their "contingency plans" are do these involve blanket spraying of inseecticides to try and wipe out all the little buggers if it goes wrong? What about the insects that will undoubtedly move away from the control areas? Even if these are ina grenhouse it is very unlikely no insects will escape!

Personally i am always wary of this sort of action, always seems a bit rash and ill thought out.

Dan

It is worrying when they plan to introduce another non native species but I guess there is so many here it makes little difference now. But they do need to do something about knotweed its incredible stuff.

maybe I`m older than a lot on here but does anyone remember the old song " There was an old woman who swallowed a fly "

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly...

It might be a good decision, depending on the specificity of this pest - but introducing one alien species to control another alien species always makes me nervous.