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of the flower head. Once the weevil population increases to where activity is noticeable, flower heads with their weevil passengers can be transported to other sights.
Extension specialists have great hopes for the unaided spread of the weevil. According to entomologist Dr. L. T,~- Kok, weevils—which can fly— have been found 20 miles away from release sights. In Warren, the weevil has spread across the Shenandoah River under its own power.
In addition to the thistle head weevil, extension specialists are experimenting with releases of a second type imported from Italy. The new weevil feeds on the growing tip of the thistle and kills plants before flower heads are ever formed. However, Rap Owings noted that introduction of the Italian weevil had met with little success, judging from the failure of the insect to establish itself permanently at release sights.
"In the long run,” said Owings, “weevils should help with thistle control but they’re not the entire answer." According to Rappahannock's extension agent, there are fields in the county that are too severely infested with thistles to wait the four or five years necessary for biological control. These fields, he said, should be sprayed immediately.
Owings also emphasized that there was no point in a landowner getting weevils unless he had fields where thistles would bloom the following year. “Otherwise, they’ll have nothing to eat,” he said. In addition, the introduction of the thistle's natural predators is a waste of time if landowners are not patient enough to wait four to five years for the weevils to gain the upper hand. Jumping the gun and spraying with 2, 4-D will kill not only the thistles but also the thistle weevils.
Persons interested in releasing weevils on thistle infested fields may call the Extension office at 675-3619 to place orders for the insects with pick-up scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, during office hours.
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