Biological control is a sustainable approach to pest management that utilizes the natural enemies of noxious weeds or pests. The Palisade Insectary imports, rears, researches, and distributes biological control agents for the state of Colorado. Successful biological pest control reduces production costs, decreases the amount of chemicals entering the environment, and establishes colonies of beneficial insects offering a natural permanent pest control solution. More than 90 species have been cultured, studied and released for biological control since the Insectary was founded in 1945.
What's Happening
As the field season comes to a close, we say good-bye to most of our seasonal staff who have helped to make another successful year of rearing, collecting and shipping insects. Tours of the insectary resume in September through April. Call 970-464-7916, ext. 0 to schedule a tour. Puncturevine weevil collection begins in September.
The Palisade Insectary by month
January
Start off the year by making plans for this year's field season and get on request lists early.
February
Government & Institutional customers: It’s time to submit your subscription request for this field season
March
We are building up our colony of Peach moth parasitoids, make sure to get your Grand Valley orchard on our distribution list for the year!
April
It’s a good time to start looking for Creeping thistle stems infected with rust fungus. Russian knapweed agents ship this month. See us at the Palisade Honey Bee Festival!
May
Begin checking for leafy spurge flea beetles. Dalmatian Toadflax weevils are out and about.
June
Musk thistle weevils are soon to emerge! Yellow toadflax weevils are collected and distributed.
July
Time to collect diffuse knapweed seedhead weevils. Look for defoliation of Tamarisk.
August
See if you can spot some spotted knapweed root weevils.
September
Puncturevine weevils are ready to collect. It’s time to harvest infectious spores of creeping thistle rust.
October
We are collecting stems of yellow or dalmatian toadflax to store over winter for next year’s releases.
November
Gather and share release data with collaborators.
December
It’s a good month to summarize this past year's activities to prepare for next year.