Calif releases insect to combat invasive weed (over 5,000 water hyacinth plant hoppers)

SFGate.com ^ | 7/30/11 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

Sacramento, Calif. (AP) -- California officials have released thousands of insects in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta to combat an invasive weed that has clogged the waterway.

The state Department of Food and Agriculture let more than 5,000 water hyacinth plant hoppers go at several locations in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties this month.

Officials hope the insects, which are native to South America, will establish self-sustaining colonies and begin chomping down on water hyacinth. The invasive plant forms a dense carpet on the surface of waterways, impeding boat access and clogging water intake systems.

[JimRed]

After the critters finish off the hyacinths, what will they devour next?

[NormsRevenge]

Ok OK.. don’t all panic at once..

Donate to FR first..

and then panic.. :-]

[Brilliant]

Or maybe they will find something they prefer to water hyacinths.

[Maceman]

Somehow I can’t stop hearing that song about the old lady who swallowed a fly.

[Uncle Ike]

Gee - what could possibly go wrong???

[Calusa]

After the critters finish off the hyacinths, what will they devour next?

They never learn.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Water hyacinths don’t even compost properly! I’m in the Northeast, and I’ve used them in a fish pond. In fall, I tossed ‘em onto the compost pile, and the roots form a black mass that is resistant to breakdown.

[cripplecreek]

We couldn't spray or cut the eurasian milfoil this year. (Thank you DEQ)

[MaxMax]

The unintended consequences will be protecting those bugs as an endangered species.

[Roccus]

This will not end well.......it NEVER does.

[Clara Lou]

And here’s hoping that these imported critters don’t create a new problem as they chomp along on the water hyacinth.

[mnehring]

Why do I have a feeling that ten years from now, they’ll be looking for something to bring in to kill the invasion of these ‘hoppers’.

[mylife]

Stop all irrigation to save the Delta Smelt and introduce a new voracious bug to eat the Water Hyacinth, and do it all at Taxpayer Expense.

What could go wrong?

[Sacajaweau]

My feelings, too. It’s not like these hoppers are on leashes.

[Flycatcher]

Why do I have a feeling that ten years from now, they’ll be looking for something to bring in to kill the invasion of these ‘hoppers’.

No worries.

They'll just bring in cane toads.

[dhs12345]

Someone made the decision. Names? And if anything bad happens, they should have to explain themselves.

[mylife]

Gee,California has really gone downhill.
When I lived there all you needed to worry about was the canyon meth head crazies.

[GeronL]

This is going to turn out bad. It always does when they think they know better than nature.

[tumblindice]

The chances are slim that the cane toads will develop needle-sharp teeth but if they do, then all they have to do is import the only slightly venomous rake snakes, which love cane toads.