Hungry Bugs

They are tiny, tireless, hungry, and environmentally friendly – except to one invasive weed.

           They’re called seedhead weevils, and the Missouri departments of Transportation and Conservation, along with the University of Missouri – Extension, are using them to help control Missouri's newest noxious weed – spotted knapweed.  The weevils, Larinus minutus and Larinus obtusus or "Larrys" as some researchers like to call them, are small, flying, dark brown or gray bugs with a long snout.  They can spread throughout a knapweed patch in a few years. 

           "Knapweed infestations occur in poor soils along rock cuts and steep slopes, and the weed produces an herbicide within its roots that kills nearby plants," explained MoDOT Roadside Manager Chris Shulse. 

           This noxious weed resembles the garden flower called bachelor’s buttons. Although pretty, if knapweed is not controlled, it can spread onto private lawns and pastures, where it significantly reduces the available forage. Knapweed is hard to eliminate with herbicides alone because it grows in difficult to reach areas, often extending beyond the roadside onto private property. 

MoDOT began to release the weevils on roadsides in southern Missouri in 2008 and in northeast Missouri in 2009. They are typically released in July when knapweed is in bloom so the females can lay eggs on the flowers. When the eggs hatch, the larvae go to work, eating the flower and seeds, reducing the plant’s ability to reproduce. A single larva can eat every seed in a flower.

A second knapweed-controlling weevil, the root-boring Cyphocleonus achates, or “Cy” is larger and doesn’t fly well. Its color helps it blend into rocky ground. These insects are released in August, when females lay eggs on young knapweed plants. The larvae burrow into the roots, causing the plant to die within a few years. Researchers documented reductions as high as 99 percent in knapweed patches where “Cy” took up residence.

           In addition to the 2009 release, MoDOT introduced the hungry bugs to infested areas last month.

“Although it will take a few years for the weevil populations to increase enough to make a difference, our tiny partners will no doubt play an important role in suppressing knapweed,” Shulse said.

A New Day in Transportation

Sunrise on Route 87

A new state five-year highway construction program was approved yesterday by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission -- or, at least, half of one.

The new program is only half the size of recent years, at $600 million. That sounds like a great deal of money to many of us, but the average program has been $1.2 billion. With funding cut in half, Missourians will see a difference in the transportation upon which they depend.

"We'll continue to honor our commitments and maintain the condition of our roads and bridges to the best of our ability for as long as we can," said MoDOT Director Kevin Keith. "But without additional resources our system will eventually get worse."

We're focused on delivering commitments that have been promised, which means keeping major highways in good condition, improving smaller state roads and keeping up with bridge repairs and maintenance. We're cutting internal costs with our Bolder Five-Year Direction and putting all resources available to road and bridge maintenance.

Is that the answer? No. It's only a temporary fix. A long-term funding solution is needed in order to address economic development opportunities, deliver improvements or replace major bridges.

What funding solution would you support for Missouri?

A Great Time to Arrive Alive

Yesterday was a great day to Arrive Alive in Missouri. Several hundred of us gathered together on the court at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia to celebrate the 436 lives saved last year on Missouri roads, due to the partnering efforts of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. With the economy and all the negative things that happen, it’s not often we get to hear or celebrate positive news – so it’s refreshing to concentrate on the fact that we are making positive changes in our state.

In fact, due to changes we’ve made and a lot of people working together, we’ve reduced roadway fatalities from 1,257 in 2005 to 821 in 2010. That means 1,538 people made it home to their families who otherwise might not have, and this is an overall decrease of 35 percent. The coalition, of which MoDOT is a partner, set a goal of 850 deaths or fewer by the end of 2012, and we actually met that goal two years early!

The coalition credits a combination of law enforcement, educational efforts, emergency medical services, engineering enhancements and public policy as the successful formula for saving lives. In 2007, Missouri recorded fewer than 1,000 fatalities for the first time in more than 15 years. This allowed the coalition to meet an ambitious goal one year early. In October 2008, the coalition announced a new goal for traffic fatality reductions at 850 or less by 2012. The last time Missouri reached less than 850 fatalities was 1949.

Besides law enforcement and education, other measures aimed at decreasing fatalities and serious injuries for this year include focusing on topics like run-off road crashes, distracted driving, impaired driving, and new engineering solutions for decreasing traffic crashes.

For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com. Buckle Up to Arrive Alive.