The Detroit News. Beetles enlisted in battle to halt plant invasion Insects eat purple loosestrife John M. Galloway Michael Gaden, an MSU natural resource agent shows a galerucella larvae. To participate Michigan State University and the Michigan Sea Grant, two of the sponsors of the purple loosestrife project, offer workshops every spring on raising beetles that eat purple loosestrife. Participants, once they complete the workshop, can receive beetles to start a rearing unit.
Purple loosestrife lives near water and is a native of Europe.
But with no natural predators, it is highly invasive and aggressive. It was very applicable. After reading instructional materials designed by Michigan State University on identifying exotic species, Willis set up a simulated wetland in a child's plastic wading pool. When the plants were about 18 inches tall, we put 20 beetles on each plant. The kids watched the plants grow, and the beetles go through their life cycle of egg, larvae and beetles.