Phragmites Management

Phragmites invasion is sweeping Northeast, dominating our native & beloved cattail. As a certified Phragmites-hater, I my interest was piqued when I came across this study being pioneered by the Ecology & Management of Invasive Plants Program. They are in the first stages of creating a biological control program in order to manage the outbreak of this feral species. & they are asking for your help!

They are trying to find species of insects that will feed on the stems of the Phragmites, thus killing them & ridding our kidnapped waterways of their presence. Do you know any east coast species that might fit the bill?

Here are the requirements:

1. Species in the same family as Phragmites australis (Poaceae)
2. Species with similar morphology or chemistry
3. Species in the same habitat
4. Species that are hosts of close relatives of the control agents
5. Species of ecological importance (rare, wildlife food)
6. Economically important species
7. Other (please be very convincing if you recommend something else that does not fall into one of the above categories. Just because a species is locally rare is not a good argument for inclusion in a testing sequence).

Please keep in mind:

We would appreciate your feedback on the proposed test plant list before we submit for approval to TAG (Technical Advisory Group for Biological Control of Weeds in North America). We invite comments for addition/deletions to this list. However, any additions to the list will most likely mean a deletion to keep the total number of species to approximately 50.

Let's all join hands to put an end to the destruction Phragmites has caused to our ecosystems. While I am usually not the first to sing praises to the methods of biological control, I am fed up with the Phragmites monoculture that is seemingly endless.