WANTED!
Reward: Healthy Ecosystem in the U.S.
DESCRIPTION
Name: Purple loosestrife
Scientific Name: Lythrum salicaria
Physical Characteristics: 2-7 feet high, 5-6 pinkish purple petals on each flower, smooth green leaves, square-shaped stalks
Habitat: Marshes, bogs, sedge meadows, wet prairies, and sometimes in roadside ditches, on river banks, and at the edges of reservoirs
OFFENSES
Purple loosestrife quickly crowds out most native vegetation in marsh, sedge meadow, wet prairie, and bog communities, creating a monoculture that provides little food or shelter for native wildlife.
MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
Chemical control: For large infestation sites, glyphosate herbicides are sprayed directly onto the invasive plants.
Biological control: The plant's natural enemy, Galerucella beetles, are introduced into the area to prevent population explosions of purple loosestrife.