We do not see commercial sources of this weevil available for homeowner use; indications from a 2015-revised USDA publication indicate that permits would be needed for transport of this insect from rearing labs across state lines. You must attribute the work in the manner specified (but not in any way that suggests endorsement). Post #3660094. It forms dense monocultures, scrambling over and suppressing other plants and preventing tree regeneration. The adult weevils feed on the leaves of mile-a-minute weed and females lay eggs on the leaves and stems. . Research on the weevil started in 1996 by the US Forest Service. Contact: Robert Trumbule, Maryland Department of Agriculture | Robert.Trumbule@Maryland.gov. After the mile-a-minute plants were killed, weevil numbers in the plots plummeted to nearly zero. The new vine I found in the back doesn't either and I think pulling it will be an effective way to keep it out. Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer. The practice has been successfully employed in multiple infested sites in the U.S. Traditional control of Mile-a-Minute vine in the United States involves hand-pulling, mowing, targeted grazing, and herbicide application, each method having its benefits and issues. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore into the stem to complete their development, feeding on the stems between the nodes. Scientific Name: Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross (formerly known as Polygonum perfoliatum L.) (ITIS) Common Name: Mile-a-minute weed or vine, Asiastic tearthumb. Either way, not even the most optimistic think the weevil will expunge mile-a-minute from the landscape. Mile-a-minute weed produces small, edible blue berries and is spread by birds, mammals and insects. It’s called mile-a-minute weed. . Verified by V. Belov/BugGuide. Since then the plant has grown largely unchecked, blanketing entire areas in spiny green stems. Mile-a-minute weed control is possible. Community ♦ 1. answered Sep 21 '11 at 13:31. bstpierre bstpierre. Specialists with the NCDA&CS Biological Control Program began making releases of the weevil in Spring 2011. . Weevil adults feed on mile-a-minute foliage, and larvae feed within nodes and can suppress growth and reduce seed production. “So now we’re getting into the mile-a-minute here. It's an annual and is killed by even a mild frost, but the seeds retain viability for up to 6 years. The adults overwinter in the leaf litter at the ground surface. Continue reading → Share with others! Experimental set-up to determine weevil and mile-a-minute response to artificially applied shade in the field. . Mile-a-minute Weevil, Rhinocominus latipes, adult on mile-a-minute. The weevils were released in designated plots in the infested area. For the mile-a-minute, it may not have the same root structure as our field bindweed. I have a wooded area behind me, but I don't usually go back there. . It lays eggs in the plant stem, which the subsequent larvae weaken as they develop and begin to feed. He leads me through a stream valley north of Washington DC where blackberries and small trees are being swallowed up by this invasive vine. Photographer: Amy Diercks. Mile-a-minute has been a growing problem in the eastern U.S. since the 1930s, when the vine, native to eastern nations including Japan, Russia and India, was first detected there. Posted on January 20, 2020 by MGNV Webmaster. share | improve this answer | follow | edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:42. If you are interested in getting rid of mile-a-minute weeds in your garden or backyard, don’t despair. Mile-a-minute weed Biological Control Mile-a-minute weed, Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross (= Polygonum perfoliatum L.) (MAM) is an invasive, annual vine in the family Polygonaceae. . The MAM weevil is now being reared by the NJ Department of Agriculture. The weevil Rhinocominus latipes has been studied and tested for biological control of Mile-a-Minute. Shaded and unshaded cages connected by a mesh tube, used to determine weevil response to light and host plant cues. The Forest Service launched a program of testing the beetle, which they dubbed the mile-a-minute weevil of MAM weevil for short. . 1984; Hoque et al. Widely dis- tributed throughout eastern Asia, it was introduced into York County, Pennsylvania from Japan in the mid- 1930s. Mile-a-Minute Weed Mile-a-Minute Weed, Polygonum perfoliatum, can grow up to six inches per day, with mature plants reaching six feet. of CT) and Carole Cheah (CT Agricultural Experiment Station) • Funded in part by USDA APHIS PPQ • Weevils provided by NJ Dept. Fish and Wildlife Service. To successfully manage the plant and limit seed production, these methods must be employed early and often. Enter the modest weevil, which eats one thing and one thing only: the mile-a-minute weed. Mile-a-minute Weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes) Donna Ellis (Univ. . Mile-a-minute can be effectively managed by a specialist weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes), a biocontrol agent that can lay eggs specifically on this weed and feed on it without harming other plant species. In its native eastern Asia, mile-a-minute is considered beneficial and has been used as an herbal medicine for over 300 yr (He et al. Tag Archives: mile-a-minute weevil. The plant also serves as a suitable food source for a diverse group of mammals, birds, and insects. Native To: Asia . The adult weevil feeds on the leaves and lays eggs on stems. With mile-a-minute, birds are another vector that you can't control. . This small weevil is host-specific to mile-a-minute weed and has been successfully released and recovered in multiple locations in the U.S. After the introduction of Mile-a-Minute weed into the US, researchers from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service went looking for a potential biocontrol agent. The idea is to restore balance. mile-a-minute weevil Rhinoncomimus latipes Korotyaev, 1997. Unfortunately, there is a lot more weed than weevil, so we need to continue to increase the weevil population here. Date of U.S. Introduction: 1930s . The mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinocominus latipes Korotyaev, is a 2 mm long, black weevil which is often covered by an exuded orange film produced from the mile-a-minute plants it feeds on. . Mile-a-Minute Weevil – Rhinoncomimus latipes | August 20, 2012 | Maryland Invasive Species Council. Invasive Plants in Northern Virginia: Mile-a-Minute Weed . Mile-a-minute Weed Biological Control . 1989; Sook and Myung 1992; Yang and Kim 1993; Zhu 1989), or as an edible wild fruit (Bajracharya 1980). How to cite this image Amy Diercks, Bugwood.org . weevil feeds only on mile-a-minute vine, and does not harm other plants, people, or livestock. Note the recurved barbs. It can climb over, and shade out native plants at the edges of woods, along stream banks, and roadsides. A weevil on a partially eaten mile-a-minute vine at the Gimbel Sanctuary on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. You'll have to be constantly vigilant and attack any future weeds that pop up before they have to a chance to spread out of control. Bob Trumbule is an entomologist. Ellen Lake, University of Delaware, Bugwood.org. The weevil begins to feed on mile-a-minute leaves in early spring and continues all season. . Mile-A-Minute Weevil Mile-A-Minute Weevil eats Mile-a-Minute weed (Polygonum perfoliatum) in eastern Asia where they are both native. Descriptor: Larva(e) Description: late stage larvae Image type: Laboratory. Mile-a-minute weevils (Rhinocominus latipes Korotyaev) are black weevil and are used to control mile-a-minute. Mile-a-minute weeds grow happily in any disturbed area and invade forested floodplains, streamside wetlands and upland woods. Photo by Missy Kalb. . A Mile-a-minute Weevil in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/23/2019). 38 Figure 41. R. Trumbule, MD Department of Agriculture . In 2004, when researchers were confident enough of the results, they began introducing batches of this beetle to several sites in New Jersey. Photo by Steve Scholnick. . Therein lies the problem: they do spread. The weevils are active from early spring through the fall, completing multiple generations. Once established the plant is hard to eradicate. Mile-a-minute weed, Persicaria perfoliata (Polygonaceae), is an annual vine that has been a pest in the eastern United States since its accidental introduction from Asia into York County, Pennsylvania, in the 1930s. The results were encouraging; the beetle is reproducing well and it seems to have some impact on the plant. A Mile-a-minute Weevil on Asiatic Tearthumb (Mile-a-minute Weed) in Kent Co., Maryland (5/15/2014). mile-a-minute weevil (Rhinoncomimus latipes) Korotyaev, 1997. When the egg hatches, the larvae feeds on the nodes of the stem and pupate in the soil. Whereas prerelease studies showed feeding at low levels on 9 of the 13 plant species tested here, under open field conditions R. latipes did not feed on any nontarget plant species and dispersed from these plants. Bookmark. It's posted and infested with poison ivy, which is why I get so much of it I guess. Quote. Means of Introduction: Introduced accidentally as a contaminant of nursery stock . Mile a Minute Weed Control. Persicaria perfoliata (mile-a-minute) is a noxious weed present throughout the Mid-Atlantic and is of serious concern in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. . Mile-a-minute can also be a problem in untilled agricultural areas such as Christmas tree farms and reforestation seedling plantations. ..... 39 Figure 42. View All Images. Biocontrol: The Mile-a-Minute Weevil. of Ag and Univ. Persicaria perfoliata (mile-a-minute) is a noxious weed present throughout the Mid-Atlantic and is of serious concern in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.Also known as devil’s tear-thumb, this invasive plant is native to India and Eastern Asia and was accidentally introduced into the United States via contaminated holly seed sent to a nursery in York County, Pennsylvania, in 1930. Reports of Mile-A-Minute Vine Raleigh Weevil Releases, 2011 • 5/12/111000 Alleghany Co, – Research releases by Matthew Swain, ASU • 5/26/11200 Alleghany Co. • 5/26/11200 Yancey Co. • 9/9/11 1000 Alleghany Co. 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