Shane Foye ’12  will be documenting the impact of the biocontrol beetles, Galerucella calmariensis and Galerucella pusilla on growth of L. salicaria at two wetland plots within Jacobsburg State Park.  After receiving permission and permits from the state and the USDA APHIS, we released 400 beetles in the park on July 27, 2011.  At one site, we will be conducting a controlled experiment and monitoring the impact of the beetles on loosestrife within enclosures (6 enclosures with and 6 enclosures without beetles), and, at the other site, we’ll be monitoring the combined impact of beetles and herbicide application.

Experimental enclosures that we will be using to monitor the impact of Galerucella beetles on purple loosestrife in Jacobsburg State Park.