Beetles Starting to Take Out Salt Cedars
By: Ny Lynn Nichols
Updated: September 26, 2012
AMARILLO -- Efforts to have a beetle kill water-sucking plants around the area finally appear to be working.
Scientists introduced salt cedar beetles to the area years ago. The beetles eat salt cedars. Scientists wanted to kill the salt cedars because they take over other native plants and use a high amount of the area's water supply. Killing the plants will leave more water.
There are a lot of salt cedars at Lake Meredith, Palo Duro Canyon, and along the Canadian River.
The beetles initially weren't surviving the cold.
But after the very warm summer, they have thrived.
And the beetles are hurting the salt cedar population.
Scientists say the beetles will need to have the same impact for a few more summers to permanently kill the salt cedars.
Scientists introduced salt cedar beetles to the area years ago. The beetles eat salt cedars. Scientists wanted to kill the salt cedars because they take over other native plants and use a high amount of the area's water supply. Killing the plants will leave more water.
There are a lot of salt cedars at Lake Meredith, Palo Duro Canyon, and along the Canadian River.
The beetles initially weren't surviving the cold.
But after the very warm summer, they have thrived.
And the beetles are hurting the salt cedar population.
Scientists say the beetles will need to have the same impact for a few more summers to permanently kill the salt cedars.
