AIR POTATO VINE BEETLE

The air potato vine was introduced to Florida at the turn of the century from Africa and Asia, and has become an invasive species. the University of Florida Department of Agriculture says without any natural predators the vine grows uncontrollably in the summer months, choking out other plant life. It is spreading rapidly along the banks of Carpenter Creek in Escambia County, but there are plans to combat it by introducing the air potato beetle that eats the air potato vine and can reduce the plant’s presence by up to 70 percent. Councilwoman Sherri Myers will be holding a town hall on Monday, August the 20^th at 6pm at Asbury Place behind Cokesbury United Methodist Church on North Ninth Avenue to sign up Carpenter Creek property owners who will volunteer to release the beetles on their stretch of the creek.