Happy Monday all!
We have been really busy the past few weeks as we have started our #biocontrol for our #BINNS project! So we wanted to share with you what has been going on and the different steps we have had to take starting off with our Japanese Knotweed!
Site Selection and Preparation:
First things first, we needed to make sure that our sites were suitable for release! Overall we have five release sites across three different areas of the Tees catchment. We initially needed to check the sites. Two of the five sites had previously been used for psyllid release so we needed to set sticky traps to see if any of the psyllids were still there! These have now been sent off to CABI where they will analyse them!
In order to prepare the sites, there were two key steps that we needed to take, first being site access.
One of our sites has been known to have another invasive non-native species present, the dreaded #GiantHogweed. Thankfully with help from our #TOpHog team we managed to clear it ready for the psyllid release!
Small area of Japanese Knotweed after being cut.
The second preparation came in the form of 'cutting' the Japanese Knotweed. As the psyllids have different life cycles, the enjoy different parts of the knotweed some newer and some older. So by cutting down an area, they can enjoy the tasty new sprouts that grow through.
3..... 2...... 1...... RELEASE
Once all of the sites were prepped and ready to go it was time for the release! With assistance from #CABI, we found good spots to place a box of the psyllids, ready for them to start their new lives on our areas of Japanese Knotweed.
What Next?
Well, we are hoping that the psyllids continue to thrive on the Japanese Knotweed, enjoying the tasty sap that they survive off of! Over the next few months we will be going to monitor the psyllids and do another release, hoping that they will continue to flourish and help to control this naughty knotweed!
We will keep you posted!