Root weevil potential houndstongue biocontrol

Houndstongue is a well-known noxious weed here in the Seeley, Swan and Blackfoot region. As a member of the Borage family, it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that make it toxic for livestock to ingest. We often find the seeds before we find the plants themselves, as the seeds are known for their Velcro like characteristics that easily attach to our pants and pets.

Houndstongue can grow in a variety of habitats and is very successful at spreading. This noxious weed is a biannual plant, meaning that it germinates and lives as a rosette for one year and the following year it will flower, seed th...