Entry No. 13 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: history
Palisade Insectary
“Here is the secret between the peach orchards: a state-run bug factory.”
Here is the secret between the peach orchards: a state-run bug factory, the oldest of its kind in the country, breeding insects to eat Colorado's weeds. It started in 1945 hunting the Oriental fruit moth and now raises 14 kinds, shipping 4 million a year. The stars: a bindweed mite small enough that gardeners order it by mail, and the tamarisk leaf beetle that cut a riverside invader in half. Free entomologist-led tours run fall through winter, when staff aren't out in the field. You have to call.
The story
Hidden down the river-bottom roads of Palisade sits a state facility quietly running a biological warfare operation against Colorado's invasive plants. Established in 1945 by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to track down the Oriental fruit moth threatening local peach crops, the Palisade Insectary is the oldest facility of its kind in the country. Rather than spraying broad-spectrum chemicals, the facility breeds natural predators to eat targeted weeds, shipping roughly 4 million living insects across the state every year.
The laboratory maintains colonies of 14 distinct insect species, each conditioned to destroy specific botanical pests. Its most famous success story is the tamarisk leaf beetle, which was deployed along western watersheds and effectively cut the footprint of river-choking salt cedar in half. On the smaller end of the spectrum is the bindweed mite, a creature so microscopic that Colorado landowners can literally order colonies through the state's Request-A-Bug program to devour field bindweed without pulling a single vine.
What it's like
This is an active government research lab, not a drop-in museum, so leave room in your schedule to plan ahead. You have to call to reserve an entomologist-led tour, which only takes place during the off-season from fall through early spring while field releases are paused. Walk inside and you'll be taken through climate-controlled lab rooms and rearing bays where staff cultivate host plants specifically to feed millions of hungry biocontrol agents. Groups are kept small—capped around 20, though they routinely host couples and small families.
The move: Call ahead in the off-season, book the free entomologist tour for two, then split a peach pie at a nearby orchard stand on the way out.
📍 Before you go The insectary sits just north of downtown Palisade off the river-bottom roads, about 15 minutes from Grand Junction; drive in and park on site. Tours are by appointment only and run in the off-season (roughly fall through early spring) when staff are not doing field work, so reserve a spot in advance rather than dropping in. Groups are capped at around 20, though they will also host couples and small families. Pair it with a stop at a Palisade orchard stand or a wine-country tasting room nearby.
- 📍 Palisade
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 750 37 8/10 Road, Palisade, CO 81526
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Colterris Winery Barrel Cave — Swap a tour of state bug-breeding labs for a trip down the road to see 250 wine barrels aging inside a man-made cave carved into the Palisade hillside.
- Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate (Custom Blending Lab) — Pair your look at precision agricultural science with a hands-on wine blending session under Mount Garfield.
- Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range — Trade microscopic biological agents for 36,000 acres of wild mustang habitat hiding just north of the orchards.
Good to know
How do I schedule a tour?
Tours are strictly by appointment only. You must call the Palisade Insectary directly in advance to reserve a spot.
When are tours available?
Tours are offered exclusively during the agricultural off-season, roughly fall through early spring, when staff are not deployed on field work.
Is there an admission fee?
No, guided tours are completely free.
Can Colorado residents really order bugs to their home?
Yes. Through the Department of Agriculture's Request-A-Bug program, residents and growers can request biological control agents like bindweed mites for targeted weed control on their property.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: ag.colorado.gov · historycolorado.org · gjsentinel.com
last checked: 2026-06-11