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ERDC/CRREL SR-02-2
The existing sites are still in either Phase One--collection and release of
biocontrol agents and sampling for establishment--or Phase Two--increasing
the populations of the biocontrol agents by redistributing those that are estab-
lished in Phase One into areas where they are not yet established. We do not yet
have any sites in Phase Three, which is the ecological and economic analysis of
the program in terms of how the biocontrol program impacted the pest and how
the benefits compare to standard control practices. In general, each phase covers
three years.
Current biological control release sites are at Rocky Flats, the U.S. Air Force
Academy, and Fort Carson. The program began at Fort Carson with weed sur-
veys and releases in the spring of 1997. Noxious weeds on Fort Carson include
Canada thistle, spotted knapweed, musk thistle, and field bindweed. On Fort
Carson, the following biological agents have been released:
To control Canada thistle
Urophora cardui
Larinus planus
Cassida rubiginosa
Ceutorhynchus litura
To control spotted knapweed
Cyphocleonus achaetes
Urophora affinis
Larinus minutus
Agapeta zoegana
Chaetorellia acrolophi
Metzneria paucipunctella
Sphenoptera jugoslavica
Urophora quadrifasciata
To control musk thistle
Trichosirocalus horridus
Rhinocyllus conicus
To control field bindweed
Aceria malherbae
The biological control program expanded to the Air Force Academy in 2000;
that program includes the U.S. Forest Service Monument Fire Center. Noxious
weeds include Canada thistle, spotted knapweed, musk thistle, field bindweed,
and leafy spurge. Biological agents released, respectively, for Canada thistle
and spotted knapweed are L. planus near Ice Lake Road and L. minutus along
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