I <have> seen Loosestrife taking over small, shallow wetlands along the sides of roads and in drainage areas.  Hollows and ditches formerly full of cattails are now overgrown with Loosestrife and a tall Bamboo like grass that also chokes out everything else in the area.   My observations are limited to relatively small areas, tucked away along roadsides in fairly developed areas- but that's the "wetlands" I have grown up around.  The places I used to hunt frogs, and gather cattails are now chock- full of tall purple blossoms and 12 foot high bamboo stands.   No more Ducks nest in the hollow behind the elementary school I attended- Heck, you can't even see water.  It was never deep to begin with, and was usually nearly dry by august, but the Ducks liked it in the spring.
I'm not entirely comfortable with introducing insect controlls either.  Mistakes have been made in the past, and will probably happen in the future, but at least someone is trying to restore some kind of balance.   I hope it is being done carefully, and from the tests outlined on the pages previously mentioned on this list, I think every effort is being made to prevent a repeat of previous fiascos.

There is a similar battle on in the Great lakes right now against an introduced mollusk.  The tiny zebra mussel grows all over everything- including water intakes, and has made quite a nusance of itself.  It has also cleared up the water of Lake St Claire- The lake has never  looked so clear and pretty!  Trouble is, that the clearer water means that lakeweeds get more sunlight, grow faster, and eventually break off, washing ashore.  Now homeowners complain about the mats of seaweed.

I can't recall anyone coming up with any benefits the Zebra mussel has provided- other than clearer water.  But if they did, would that  benefit balance out the thousands (Maybe millions)of dollars now spent cleaning off encrustations, Chlorinating water to kill mussel Larvae, and mowing and composting lakeweed before it becomes a nusance on the beach?

 I suppose it depends on who is adding up the numbers.

We see the advantage that this plant gives to our bees during dry spells.  If we added up the value of all the honey gathered from all the purple loosestrife by beekeeper kept bees, it would probably add up to only a few hundred thousand dollars at best.  (If someone has better figures, I'd like to hear about it- I am just guessing, and admit it freely.)   It may be important to us, but we beekeepers are a VERY small minority.   And not one that is very vocal- witness the ongoing Pesticide Spraying problems.

Now compare this to the Millions of Dollars that hunters spend on Duck hunting.  Hunting, as controversial as it may be, is avidly supported by people who enjoy it.  Hunters spend money, for supplies, Hotel accomidations, Gas, Food, and countless other things during Duck season.  Rural Chambers of Commerce like hunters.   Duck hunters also support organizations that look out for their best interest.  Hunters also contribute money to preserve wetlands, and provide better habitat for ducks.   Hunters contribute money to preserve wetlands, and provide better habitat for ducks.   "Ducks Unlimited" is just one group devoted to preserving habitat, among other things.   Groups with strong Lobbyists get heard.

I can think of no similar organization working for beekeepers- When was the last time you saw a TV or magazine spot urging people to protect pollinators?   Ducks are cute, and get Better PR than bees.  (Ducks flying south are inspiring and romantic, Bees swarming are scary.)   Promoting Honey is good, but too far from the source to get people to think about the bees themselves.

Now add in the voice of the enviromentalists, who seem to lean towards opposing the spread of introduced species.  These are the same enviromentalists who are our allies in the battle against widespread pesticide spraying.    I think we'd be better off supporting them, which will benefit us much more in the long run, than grousing about losing introduced nectar sources.  Having fields of Loosestrife and Star thistle will do us no good if all our bees are killed off by Mosqito or agricultural spraying.

Somehow, I think the small good that loosestrife does for bees won't outweigh the percieved damage it does to other groups.  If the introduced beetles work as planned, loosestrife won't be eliminated, it will just not form a solid mass of purple for miles and miles in roadside ditches.   We may still get some honey, just not as much, or as reliably.

Diversity is good.  In wetlands, farmlands, or even in urban areas, I like to see a healthy mix of plantlife, animallife and insect life.  This may not offer a "Buffet"  for my bees, like a field of Loosestrife, or Alfalfa, but I think the mix is probably better overall.  If we like diversity in farming, we can't ask the enviromentalists to allow any natural areas to lose diversity either.  Fair is fair.

Ellen in Michigan

  Martin Damus <[log in to unmask]> wrote: I have seen loosestrife in many wetlands, and I have ye!
t to see it completely take over any wetland. It has its margin of habitat requirements, and in all the places I have seen it it has mixed with the native flora. No one has yet, to my knowledge, shown using scientific studies that it is really causing large scale harm, something I would think is a prerequisite to importing exotic plant-eating beetles to eradicate it!