> AHPA's claim that the biocontrols will "eradicate" the tree are overblown
USDA's data and the USDA's own statements go far further than the term "overblown". Eradication has simply never happened. Ever.
For example: "Even the most successful weed biological control agents have not eradicated their host weed." pg 50 of " Field Release of the Knotweed Psyllid Aphalara itadori (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) for Classical Biological Control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian Knotweeds"
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/downloads/2020/aphalara-itadori-japanese-knotweed-biocontrol.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/u62obaby
The USDA is not alone in their stance - the first sentence of the abstract of the cited paper states the obvious:
"The notion of being sure that you have completely eradicated an invasive species is fanciful because of imperfect detection and persistent seed banks".
See: "Optimal eradication: when to stop looking for an invasive plant", Ecology Letters, (2006) 9: 759–766 doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00920.x
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00920.x
http://tinyurl.com/157mc4t7
So "overblown" seems a profound understatement, unless someone can point to any plant that was actually eradicated.
But is the plant a serious problem? For wetlands in the south, apparently so.
"Is Chinese Tallowtree, Triadica sebifera, an Appropriate Target for Biological Control in the United States?"
Invasive Plant Science and Management 2014 7:345–359
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lWeDTv8xcKDUlw6Dxfh365S_YXcEMJRM/view?usp=sharing
http://tinyurl.com/30kvkr1i
> the proposal to introduce biocontrols is "reckless."
The USDA has run some studies to see if the biocontrols might get out of hand, and found them to not survive on non-target plants:
Predicting spillover risk to non-target plants pre-release: Bikasha collaris a potential biological control agent of Chinese tallowtree (Triadica sebifera)
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=332169
http://tinyurl.com/3zla7rdz
Quarantine host range and natural history of Gadirtha fusca, a potential biological control agent of Chinese tallowtree (Triadica sebifera) in North America
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/60320500/images/Gadirtha%20pub%201.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/11u08wbn
The alternatives (excessive herbicide use, which is often exempted from any notice requirement - Texas A&M suggests Grazon P+D for tallow trees, and it is a very wide-spectrum broadleaf herbicide) has not worked. If not biocontrols, then what? Even more herbicides? Maybe Napalm?
The proposed biocontrols are overviewed in plain English here:
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/chinesetallow
But, we must remember that the history of introduced species to "control" another species has been fraught with unexpected consequences. The cane toad in Australia s the hood ornament for this concern. They introduced in 1935 to control cane beetles, which fed on sugar cane crops. They fed on anything they could swallow, and got out of hand. They are still a problem.
So, as usual, the question comes down to - "Do we trust the USDA review process to be the protection against another 'cane toad' scenario?"
I'm not sure beekeepers are qualified to say.
But there's a broad spectrum of inherent skepticism for bio-controls, taught at an early age:
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cat;
Imagine that! She swallowed a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady that swallowed a dog;
What a hog, to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a goat;
She just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow;
I don't know how she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat,
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a horse;
...She's dead, of course!
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