Rate of dispersal of spotted knapweed biocontrol beetles (Larinus spp. Curculionidae) in Wisconsin

Abstract

741. Because the model intercept (i.e. dispersal rate) did not pass through zero at age zero, which was expected from a biological basis, I warn against extrapolating the modeled dispersal rate to the period from release (t=0) to the end of Year One. Applying these dispersal rates to all 326 previous Larinus spp. releases in Wisconsin we predict that by 2017 low level populations of Larinus spp could be found state-wide.