Colorado bindweed gall mite smugglers wanted

[eub]

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Agriculture-Main/CDAG/1167928215154
Aceria malherbae feeds on leaves and stem tips, inducing gall formation and leaf distortion. All life stages of the mite occur within the folded and distorted leaves. Adults are present on the plant from May to November. Aceria malherbae overwinters as an adult or nymph below ground on rhizome buds. Eggs are deposited within the galls. Several generations can be produced each growing season. Heavy mite infestations can result in reduced plant vigor and flower formation.

"$100.00 -- 1 cooler (approximately 15-20 releases) of bindweed mites sent to a partner institution. (If the institution is interested in establishing a site for future collection, please contact the Insectary directly before ordering.)"

Colorado residents only.

Comments

letter to my bindweed

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

dearest bindweed,

i hear colorado is lovely this time a year. how about a nice vacation?

cordially yours,
pissed-off gardener

Re: letter to my bindweed

[eub.livejournal.com]

Dear bindweed, please do not travel via Seattle.

[bhudson.livejournal.com]

I wonder: what else do these mites eat?

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Man, I live right in the middle of Colorado and my bindweed is coming up like, well, bindweed. No signs of gall mites. My grandmother, the ubergardener, said the only way she could consistently get rid of it was to let the plant grow until there was enough leaf/vine to get a good hold on, then curl it up and stick it in a small glass jar and fill the jar with Roundup, and wrap a plastic baggie around it, and leave it there to cook for a week.
I'm trying the persistence method: every three days rip them out. I figure that if they spend more energy trying to grow than they get from the sun, they'll eventually starve and die.