OKEECHOBEE — Under the direction of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, chemical herbicides continue to be used to control invasive plants in Lake Okeechobee.

• Now through Aug. 2, phragmites will be treated on the FWC created island, Gourd Island, to protect recently planted shrubs and wildflowers. Treatment will be extremely selective by chopping phragmites and directly spraying stem with a bottle. All treatment will be over dry ground.

• July 15 to July 19: FWC treated floating plants in Monkey Box, Eagle Bay, Observation Shoal, Bird Island and Chancy Bay. Treatment area included about 75 acres. Herbicides included Diquat for Hyacinth in open water, spatterdock and pennywort; 2,4D for Hyacinth in grasses; Penoxsulam for Hyacinth in Giant bulrush; Diquat for Lettuce in open water, spatterdock, grasses and pennywort; Flumioxaz in for Lettuce in Cattail or Giant bulrush; Diquat for water lettuce and hyacinth together in open water, grasses, spatterdock and pennywort; and, Flumioxazin/Penoxsulam mix for Lettuce & Hyacinth together in Giant bulrush and cattail.

• July 15 to July 19: About 75 aces of floating plants were treated in Pelican Bay and Halifax Banks. Herbicides used included: Diquat for Hyacinth in open water, spatterdock and pennywort; 2,4-D for Hyacinthin in grasses; Penoxsulam for Hyacinth in Giant bulrush and cattail; Diquat for Lettuce in open water, spatterdock, grasses and pennywort; Flumioxazin for water lettuce in cattail or Giant bulrush; Diquat for Lettuce & Hyacinth together in open water, grasses, spatterdock and pennywort; Flumioxazin /Penoxsulam mix for water lettuce and Hyacinth together in Giant bulrush; Flumioxazin/Penoxsulam mix for water lettuce and Hyacinth together in cattail.