The UC Exotic/Invasive Pests and Diseases Research Program funded a project in which USDA scientists developed a new and faster way to raise natural enemies of exotic weed species, according to a news release written by UC IPM communications specialist Stephanie Klunk.
The process involves the use of an artificial diet that was invented to raise a type of weevil. The USDA scientists found that the same diet is useful when researchers travel to foreign lands to find natural enemies of exotic weeds. They can put larvae found feeding on the plant into vials that contain the diet, where the insect will develop to the adult stage.
For example, scientists were able to use the substance to rear root crown weevil larvae that had been pulled out of yellow starthistle plants in Turkey.
"The fact that this diet works for flies as well as weevils, and that it works for insects from at least three species of plants and two plant families, suggests that this method can have widespread use to accelerate the discovery of new internal-feeding biological control agents," said USDA scientist Lincoln Smith.
Click here for the full news release.