It's really looking good. Pranger jokes that knapweed has been a big enough problem to be dubbed the Morrow County flower by many of the unamused locals. Before, we either sprayed or used pasture management. Now we have a pretty viable tool. I'm getting calls daily from people who want to get the bugs.
Local landowners are willing to get in line to secure a supply of the tiny black insects.
Mayer was one of a dozen net-carrying visitors sweeping the Morrow County knapweed for biocontrol agents. She was pleased with her catch. This will work. We will divvy them out equally to those counties that need them. Some of the bugs will end up being released on federal lands in Montana operated by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.