Your thoughts????

[louisesgarden]

What about when the jkw runs out ? they cant just send the bug home job done ! it said on the news it doesnt like our native plants ? have they tested them all...i think not ! and what about veg crops ? surely they should have been tested ?

[organic]

They've tested it on 90 native species.
Wonderful! A nice, comprehensive test, then.

[TEB]

Its about time something was done, because doing nothing is not an option and currently the only effective solution is by using Glyphosate.

[louisesgarden]

I had it the garden of my old house, (which was a new build, so even the builders bulldozers couldnt get rid of it ! from they site where they built) i never knew what it was until i saw something on tv about it. it was a pain, i swear if you stood and watched it you could see it grow ! i`m still not sure these bugs are a good idea though ?

[di]

My first two thoughts are...Ugly looking things and similar to a lot of you worried about long term effects.
But!I've never had to deal with the problem of JKW and until reading the article didn't realise just how expensive a problem it is.

What are their habits in Japan?Do they move onto other plants when/if need be?
Are they purely herbivores or could they attack/eat some of our native species?

I don't know?....On one hand I agree with the majority of you that it's a bad idea but then on the other hand wonder if it should be dismissed just because of a handful of other disastrous introductions.
I've not really got time to investigate now(don't think Andi would agree it was priority over housework),but I'm sure there must be some examples of where a species has been introduced for pest control and it's been a success?

[TEB]

but I'm sure there must be some examples of where a species has been introduced for pest control and it's been a success?

Over 7000 biocontrol introductions worlwide to date, 1300 of these to control weeds, of these 1300 only 9 have produced non target effect. Read the full article here CABI | natural control

PS this is about control not eradication

[OllieMartin]

Over 7000 biocontrol introductions worlwide to date, 1300 of these to control weeds, of these 1300 only 9 have produced non target effect. Read the full article here CABI | natural control

PS this is about control not eradication

The wikipedia entry on biological pest control is also very interesting.
It references the Australian cane toad as being one of the failed attempts, but it seems like a lack of research caused the issues here.

Personally I don't mind it so much. Humans working with creatures is far better than using sprays and chemicals to sort all our problems.

Anyone remember the youtube video about the country's largest tomato greenhouse where they release bumble bees and wasps to pollinate flowers and kill harmfull insects? I'm pretty sure we all thought that was a great idea. Admittedly it was in a fairly enclosed environment, but again it's better than spraying.

[mogs]

Japanese knotweed-eating superbug to be released in UK

Japanese knotweed-eating superbug to be released in UK - Regen Daily Bulletin - Regen.net

[zazen999]

Mogs - I've merged you.

You have to get up VERY early to catch Nicos, [the Vine's very own Miss Marple], out.

[di]

Over 7000 biocontrol introductions worlwide to date, 1300 of these to control weeds, of these 1300 only 9 have produced non target effect. Read the full article here CABI | natural control

PS this is about control not eradication

A fair few then!

I shall perch myself on a fence somewhere and just hope none of them fly my way...look a bit scarey!

[TEB]

The wikipedia entry on biological pest control is also very interesting.
It references the Australian cane toad as being one of the failed attempts, but it seems like a lack of research caused the issues here.

Yes with the cane toad, a chap without any higher training in biological control went and obtained 102 cane toads and subsequently created an ecological disaster, it cannot really be compared in any way shape or form with the planned release of Aphalara itadori later this year, thats had about 10 years of research and testing.

[organic]

Though I'm organically inclined I can see the general point behind using herbicide on JKW.
It does have negative impact on the environment but in a known way and one that can be immediately and effectively stopped by stopping the application.
Using biological controls, however, does not have a known impact and can not be stopped at all if something goes wrong.

Re: using non-native species as biological controls (ladybirds, wasps, butterflies and the likes) I actually don't think it's a great idea.

There's every chance that the proposed intorduction to control JKW will have no unintended consequences, that they won't adapt to new food sources, that they won't compete with natives without natural predators and that it'll all go swimmingly...
...but the risk involved if something unexpected happens suggests to me that it's simply not worth the risk.

[binley100]

I worry about messing with nature........probably cos of reading books like the Day of the
Triffids.

[TEB]

Though I'm organically inclined I can see the general point behind using herbicide on JKW.
It does have negative impact on the environment but in a known way and one that can be immediately and effectively stopped by stopping the application.
Using biological controls, however, does not have a known impact and can not be stopped at all if something goes wrong.

Re: using non-native species as biological controls (ladybirds, wasps, butterflies and the likes) I actually don't think it's a great idea.

There's every chance that the proposed intorduction to control JKW will have no unintended consequences, that they won't adapt to new food sources, that they won't compete with natives without natural predators and that it'll all go swimmingly...
...but the risk involved if something unexpected happens suggests to me that it's simply not worth the risk.

It is recommended that 3 seperate applications of Glyphosate is used to control JK, 2 applications as a minimum. Glyphosate is deemed harmful to aquatic life and JK likes growing alongside river banks, you would also need to involve the NRA, to get to the rhizomes the herbicide would need to get down to about 5m deep and about the same wide - thats how invasive JK can be. Just 0.7 grams of JK not eradicated is enough for the plant to reproduce. Glyphosate is not totally biodegradable and is classed as "dangerous for the environment" and "toxic for aquatic organisms" by the European Union (taken from wikopedia). JK is in the top 100 worldwide invasive plant species with no natural UK predators - dumping shed loads of Glyphosate on it is not the answer. Swansea is one of the worst affected area's and I have read that using current control methods it would take 50 years to eradicate, total cost to the UK to eradicate was about 1.5 billion (2004 survey).

[OllieMartin]

Humans have been messing with nature ever since we started farming plants and animals and in fact since the first domesticated animals (not sure, horses or camels perhaps). Not sure how this is particularly different.