Eurasian Milfoil is one of the leading invasive aquatic weed problems that face lake managers in the Northern Tier States. 
This weed grows to the surface of lakes and rivers from depths of over 20 feet. Plants like Eurasian Milfoil are not native to North America and when they are transported here, they often have a competitive advantage because the predators that keep them in check in their home range are not introduced with them. Most control programs that focus on invasive species look for bi0logical control options to consider as part of their program development.
About 20 years ago, the State of Vermont discovered an aquatic weevil that has having an impact on an Eurasian Milfoil populations in one of their lakes. They spent a number of years attempting to culture the weevil and gain the understanding necessary to make it an opperational tool in the management of this problem plant. Aquatechnex president, Terry McNabb, traveled to Vermont in the summers of 1995 and 1996 and spent approximately three weeks traveling the state with the DEQ Program Head reviewing stocking locations and potential progress.
Unfortunately, they found that augmenting or stocking weevils in the field did not have a significant impact on the Eurasian Milfoil in these lake systems. Scientists around the United States through the 1990′s and early 2000 came to similar conclusions, this agent controls the plants in the laboratory, but is inconsistant in the field.
Additional research is necessary to determine if this particular species could have an impact on an operational scale and in Idaho the Tri State Water Quality Council is launching a program to look into the use of this species in this area.
Aquatechnex has submitted a financial contribution to this program and invite any reader of this to visit http://www.tristatecouncil.org/ to review their press release. There is a link on that page that would allow you to contribute to this effort as well. Please give this a look and consider joining us in supporting this effort.
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