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Palisade Insectary

Biological control is a method of pest management that uses the natural enemies of weeds or pests. The Palisade Insectary imports, raises, researches, and distributes biological controls for the state of Colorado. Successful biological pest control does three things. It reduces costs and cuts down on the amount of chemicals entering the environment. It also establishes helpful insects for a natural, permanent pest control choice. More than 90 insects and fungi have been studied and released for use since the Insectary was started in 1945.

Contact the Insectary

What's Happening

Our tours are now booked up through April 2024. They will resume again in September 2024. Call to arrange your tour at 970-464-7916, ext. 0.

 

Did you know that the Palisade Insectary is the premier lab in the U.S. to raise Ceratapion basicorne? These are the weevils that attack the noxious weed yellow star thistle. We are gearing up for a mass rearing with the goal of sending weevils to western states in Spring 2024.  

 

The Palisade Insectary by month

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January

January: Start off the year by making plans for this year's field season and get on request lists early.

 Start off the year by making plans for this year's field season and get on request lists early.

February

February: Government & Institutional customers: It’s time to submit your subscription request for this field season

Government & Institutional customers: It’s time to submit your subscription request for this field season

March

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!

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! 

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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!

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

May: Begin checking for leafy spurge flea beetles.  Dalmatian Toadflax weevils are out and about.

Begin checking for leafy spurge flea beetles. Dalmatian Toadflax weevils are out and about.  

June

June: Musk thistle weevils are soon to emerge!  Yellow toadflax weevils are collected and distributed.

Musk thistle weevils are soon to emerge! Yellow toadflax weevils are collected and distributed. 

 

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July

July: Time to collect diffuse knapweed seedhead weevils.  Look for defoliation of Tamarisk.

Time to collect diffuse knapweed seedhead weevils. Look for defoliation of Tamarisk.

August

August: See if you can spot some spotted knapweed root weevils.

 See if you can spot some spotted knapweed root weevils.

September

September: Puncturevine weevils are ready to collect.  It’s time to harvest infectious spores of creeping thistle rust.

Puncturevine weevils are ready to collect. It’s time to harvest infectious spores of creeping thistle rust. 

 

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October

October: We are collecting stems of yellow or dalmatian toadflax to store over winter for next year’s releases.

 We are collecting stems of yellow or dalmatian toadflax to store over winter for next year’s releases.

November

November: Gather and share release data with collaborators.

Gather and share release data with collaborators. 

December

December: It’s a good month to summarize this past year's activities to prepare for next year.

It’s a good month to summarize this past year's activities to prepare for next year.