Request-A-Bug is a service for Colorado land owners and land managers only. It is a fee-based service to request biological control agents for pest control. The Insectary serves requests in the order received. The amount of biological control agents available varies each year. The Insectary cannot guarantee a release for each request ordered. Requests are carried over year to year if not fulfilled. There are nine Request-A-Bug programs currently available.
Request-A-Bug Programs
What to Expect
Join the waitlist. Don’t delay! Submit your request as early as possible. Requests are fulfilled in order of date received and agent availability. The Insectary staff will email you during the field season and let you know when the insects are ready to ship. They will ask you to pay for your shipment at that time. Your order will arrive the next day via FedEx (after your payment is made). Time Sensitive! Be sure to release your live biocontrols as soon as possible or put them in the refrigerator. The biocontrol agents are ready to eat/attack your noxious weeds! Follow the release instructions provided in your shipment. You can help us continue to keep costs low and reduce waste by returning the cooler to the Insectary to be re-used. Thank you!
Optional: Insectary staff can help you decide if you should place an additional order for the following year. All biocontrols should be established within a year and will overwinter in Colorado. Full effects typically take up to 3 years.
Fees
Do Not Send Payment Now. We will contact you to collect payment and coordinate shipping arrangements in season.
| private land and home owners | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fee | Description | Season |
| N/A | Canada Thistle (Not Available) | N/A |
| $30 | Dalmatian Toadflax | May - June |
| $30 | Diffuse Knapweed | July - Aug |
| $35 | Field Bindweed | June - Aug |
| $30 | Leafy Spurge | June - July |
| $30 | Musk Thistle | June - July |
| $30 | Puncturevine | Sept |
| $0 | Russian Knapweed | April - May |
| $30 | Spotted Knapweed | July - Aug |
| N/A | Yellow Toadflax (Not Available) | N/A |
| $0 | Mac for Grand Valley Orchards | May-Aug |
Questions? Contact the Project Manager
- Mike Racette for Dalmatian Toadflax and Russian Knapweed: michael.racette@state.co.us
- Quinton Barnett for Puncturevine and Macrocentrus: quinton.barnett@state.co.us
- John Kaltenbach for Leafy Spurge and Spotted or Diffuse Knapweed: john.kaltenbach@state.co.us
- Nina Louden for Field Bindweed and Tamarisk: nina.louden@state.co.us
- Torri Gladem for Subscription Services and Musk Thistle: torri.gladem@state.co.us
| For Government Agency & Public Land Manager Customers ONLY | |
|---|---|
| Fee | Description |
| $100 | 5,000 Tamarisk beetles (July) Includes vial of pheromone to concentrate beetles at the release site. |
Outside the state of Colorado?
Our program is funded in part by Colorado taxpayers. As such, we regretfully are unable to provide the Request-A-Bug service outside of the state of Colorado. We encourage you to reach out to your local USDA-NRCS or USDA-APHIS office for advice on biological control options in your state.
We have cooperative agreements with federal agencies outside of Colorado funded in part by the USDA. Under these agreements, we may be able to provide biological control agents to federal agencies in other states. Any biological control releases destined for release outside of Colorado must be permitted by USDA-APHIS under a PPQ-526 permit held by the receiving party and may also be subject to permitting on a per state basis.