Invasive Species Weblog

Singing Like A Bird

2011-07-02T11:06:00.001-04:00

Not much posting going on here. For invasive species news in the style of the ISW but in succinct 140-character morsels, follow the ISW on Twitter at invasivespecies.

A Feather In Their Caps?

2011-05-13T14:17:00.002-04:00

Indian rose-ringed parakeets take over Britain, Britain's elite consider even more garish hats for next royal wedding. Read all about it over at the New York Times.

Fish Kabobs

2011-05-03T13:14:00.000-04:00

Some crazy "Asian Carp Water Ninjas" are heading out onto the Illinois River and attacking the invasive fish mid-ski with swords and spiked armor. A link to the video, which must be seen to be believed, is here. (Don't try this at home, etc. etc.)

Coasting Through It

2011-03-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

A study of management of an area of the Oregon coast invaded by Ammophila beach grasses indicates that certain management techniques may actually end up harming native species. Read more here, or read the full article here.

Alien Eats Alien

2011-03-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

Check out the trailer for the upcoming extra-terrestrial road trip comedy "Paul." Around the 2'10" mark, you can watch Paul the from-another-planet alien chomp down on a European starling, an alien in its own right.

Art Of War On Weeds

2011-02-28T14:50:00.000-05:00

NPR has an interesting piece tying in to National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week, about a man who creates art out of invasive plants.

That Stinks!

2011-02-02T23:34:00.000-05:00

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) has been discovered in Michigan.

Carpoon!

2010-11-24T12:57:00.000-05:00

Fifth grader wins national invention contest from Popular Science with his underwater fishy-facial recognition weapon, an anti-carp device.

Next Up: Lionfish Triple Crown!

2010-11-22T20:39:00.000-05:00

Florida is holding lionfish derbies in an attempt to rid the Florida Keys of this invasive marine fish.

Nutria-palooza!

2010-11-04T00:08:00.000-04:00

This November, Brooklyn fashion designers and musicians are teaming up for Nutria-palooza!, a nutria-themed fashion show set to music. The show will feature clothing and jewelry made using the invasive rodent known as Nutria or "coypu" (Myocastor coypus), and at least one band will participate by wearing what they're calling "nutria-gangster" outfits.

Invasive Plants In The Southeastern US

2010-11-02T00:08:00.000-04:00

Interesting article - "History of Southeastern Invasive Plants" - in the latest issue of American Nurseryman.

New Jersey Mussel Maker

2010-09-28T02:39:00.004-04:00

The Chinese pond mussel (Sinanodonta woodiana) has been found in New Jersey, in a pond formerly used as a fish farm. While this Asian species is known to have invaded many bodies of water in Europe (See 1, 2, 3), this appears to be the first record for this species in the USA.

King Of The Fishes

2010-09-08T19:30:00.003-04:00

The Great Lakes-area news is abuzz with the announcement that the US government has appointed an Asian carp czar to oversee efforts to keep Asian carp out of the lakes.

Ms. MILFoil?

2010-09-01T09:16:00.005-04:00

Well I guess that's *one* way to fight invasive species...

P.S. - You can also follow her on Twitter.

Le Snakehead Is In La River

2010-05-25T21:04:00.002-04:00

A large Indonesian snakehead fish (Channa micropeltes) was found dead in the Saint Charles River in Quebec last month - possibly the first find of this species in the wild in Quebec. It's thought to be a released pet. Need a French translation? Try this forum (towards the bottom of the page)

The Age of Aquaria

2010-05-25T21:01:00.001-04:00

Conservation Maven has an article about an interesting new study exploring aquariums as vectors for the accidental introduction of exotic species.

There Is No Word That Rhymes With Tunicate

2010-05-24T11:50:00.001-04:00

The invasive tunicate Didemnum was recently discovered in two Oregon bays.

ALB And More

2010-05-24T11:49:00.000-04:00

Think you know your bugs? Check out these Asian longhorned beetle look-alikes.

Walnut Bleak

2010-05-24T11:47:00.003-04:00

Missouri, the top black walnut producer in the USA, has enacted a quarantine to prevent the introduction of Thousand Cankers disease from the Western USA.

Mixed Signals

2010-04-13T22:45:00.002-04:00

A UK man who thought he was doing the environment a favor by catching invasive American signal crayfish out of a local river has been fined £4,000 ($8,000) aftger authorities discovered he had actually caught and eaten the native white-clawed crayfish, an endangered species. Also, turns out he was breaking the law just by trapping for crayfish in Cumbria.

Minneapolis Twigs

2010-04-13T00:27:00.002-04:00

A recent report from the city of Minneapolis indicates that the city is poised to lose all 200,000 of its ash trees to the emerald ash borer. A summary of the Greenprint report is available here, and the entire report can be downloaded here.

Citizen Science

2010-04-03T22:30:00.003-04:00

Should established non-native mammals be granted "ecological citizenship"? That was one of the conclusions of a new UK study, "The State of Britain’s Mammals."

The Devil's Monkey

2010-03-29T23:17:00.002-04:00

This carving is possibly the oddest thing anyone has ever done with a Japanese knotweed rhizome.

Funky Monkey

2010-03-28T21:13:00.001-04:00

A rhesus macaque monkey that has been on the loose in Florida for more than a year has reached such heights of popularity among us human folk that it has more than 56,000 Facebook fans.

Hawaiian Punch

2010-03-28T21:10:00.002-04:00

Hawaii has found success with a biological control in the effort to save endangered wiliwili trees from invasive gall wasp.

Colorado Crawdads

2010-03-06T20:25:00.002-05:00

The USGS reported that rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) were found last year in the Yampa River, Colorado. This is the first record for this East Coast crayfish in Colorado. Read more about Colorado's response at the Western Slope Anglers Forum.

Biofueling The Fire

2010-03-06T20:16:00.005-05:00

The Ecologist had an interesting article last month about UK investors that have been selling the idea that the invasive shrub Jatropha is an ethical "green fuel" for developing countries. For more about the invasive potential of this plant in Africa, click on the "jatropha" tag below.

Make It A Fish All

2010-02-27T23:02:00.003-05:00

Bad news for fish: viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) was recently found in Lake Superior, meaning that the virus has now been found in all five Great Lakes. (Thanks to TC for the tip)

Best Homework Ever!

2010-02-24T21:50:00.003-05:00

Those lucky enough to be enrolled in Duke University must be fighting to get into Dr. Sandra Cooke's excellently titled class, "The Billion Dollar Problem of Aquatic Invasive Species." As part of the coursework, students are required to participate in a blog about aquatic invasives, where they've been posting about everything from Asian swamp eels to the war metaphor for invasive species. Check it out!

Around The World

2010-02-22T00:07:00.003-05:00

A recently published study from the Global Invasive Species Program (GISP) showed that on average, every country has 50 invasive species making a negative impact on biodiversity. Want more details? Check out the full publication.

Carping

2010-02-22T00:01:00.003-05:00

With the recent controversy regarding Asian carp in the Great Lakes at the forefront, plus well-publicized problems with zebra mussels and snakehead fish, the Washington Post recently pondered the cost of fighting invasive species.

Frog The Bounty Hunter

2010-02-15T15:55:00.003-05:00

Coming up this March in Cairns, Australia, is Toad Day Out, an opportunity to win a prize for catching the biggest cane toad (Bufo marinus). The person to deliver the biggest toad, measuring at least 15cm from nose to rear, will win $50 AUS. Toads must be delivered live to the weigh in. Last year's bounty hunt resulted in the collection of more than 6000 of the amphibious invasives!

Camel Pose

2010-02-14T21:51:00.002-05:00

Forget goats or sheep...or beetles! A Colorado rancher wants to enlist *camels* in the battle against the invasive shrub known as tamarisk (saltcedar, Tamarix spp.).

Wakey, Wakey, Hands Off Snakey!

2010-01-22T00:04:00.000-05:00

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed placing the Burmese python and eight other constrictor-type snakes on the Lacey Act's list of Injurious Species. If approved, this would ban the import and interstate transport of all nine species. The Burmese python is one of several non-native snakes causing concern in Florida due to the establishment of breeding populations in the Everglades. The complete list:

Burmese python
northern African python
southern African python
reticulated python
green anaconda
yellow anaconda
Beni or Bolivian anaconda
DeSchauensee’s anaconda
boa constrictor

(The press release does not provide scientific names; complete details will be published in the Federal Register in February)

That Ship Has Already Sailed?

2010-01-21T23:50:00.002-05:00

The US Army Corps of Engineers is reporting that DNA evidence suggests Asian carp may already be present in Lake Michigan. In related news, Louisiana is developing a market for carp by rebranding it as "silverfin." Mmmm, silverfin!

Lake Effect

2010-01-12T00:07:00.003-05:00

Starting in 2010, New Hampshire will be offering a new grant to municipalities and non-profits who want to remove invasive aquatic plants from the lakes they know and love. To be eligible, lakes must have at least one public access site, and priority will be given to applicants interested in pursuing purchase of Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) equipment.

Gray Area

2010-01-10T22:38:00.003-05:00

A new study just out in the Journal of Ornithology says that contrary to current thinking, American gray squirrels are actually not linked to the population declines of most native woodland bird species in England. BBC News has the story.

Feral Idaho

2010-01-07T00:45:00.002-05:00

After several years of speculation, the presence of feral pigs has been confirmed for the first time in Idaho. The Idaho Nature Notes blog has the details. Surprised this isn't getting more media coverage!

Fishy Freefall

2009-12-31T12:20:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for tonight's Dropping of the Carp? Oh, to be in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin on this New Year's Eve!

A "Colorful" Scourge

2009-12-30T12:34:00.002-05:00

AP Article about peacocks taking over Longboat Key in Florida. Click for the environmental message, stay for the references to poop-filled pools and the propensity of peacocks to attack shiny cars.

Some Light Holiday Reading

2009-12-24T11:41:00.004-05:00

New from the Bureau of Reclamation: Inspection and Cleaning Manual for Equipment and Vehicles to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species. Who knew there was such a thing as an "Under-vehicle inspection mirror"?

Popping Parakeets

2009-12-20T01:30:00.004-05:00

With the headline "Who's a pretty dead boy?" the Times UK announces a ruling allowing the British public to shoot ring-necked parakeets without a permit on their own property. Ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri), native to India, were introduced to Britain about 40 years ago. These escapees from the pet trade have since become a part of many parks and other open spaces.

Guam and Coqui

2009-12-11T14:07:00.001-05:00

A coqui frog was intercepted on a shipment of plants on its way into Guam from Hawaii. Looks like the frog was caught at the border, so Guam for now remains coqui-free.

Massive Mussels

2009-12-11T14:04:00.003-05:00

Zebra mussels, already in one Massachusetts lake, have now been found in the Housatonic River. A report detailing the finds also places ten other water bodies at high risk for invasion.

Sniff, Ubu, Sniff! Good Dog!

2009-11-29T22:02:00.003-05:00

Proof that dogs can do anything: Biosecurity officers in Australia have trained a labrador retriever to sniff out populations of the invasive South American electric ant (Wasmannia auropunctata). The article has a gallery of accompanying photos that claim to show "Ofira the electric ant dog" in action but are really just incredibly cute shots of the dog playing fetch (well, ok, there are a couple of shots of the ants too :-)).

Bleached Pond

2009-11-12T01:54:00.001-05:00

Wisconsin is preparing to bleach their Louisiana crayfish (crawfish? crawdads? :-)) out of existence. The invasive crustacean in question is the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), in case you're wondering.

Dog The Bounty Hunter

2009-11-03T22:10:00.001-05:00

Aussie pup sniffs out, hunts down invasive red-eared slider turtles in Victoria. Good dog!

Pay To Play Against The Rules

2009-11-01T14:15:00.005-05:00

A man caught violating regulations that require boaters to allow their vehicles to be inspected by park staff was fined $2500 earlier this month. The rules are in place at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in order to prevent the introduction of zebra and quagga mussels into Lake Powell, a man-made reservoir located in between Utah and Arizona.

Vermont Is For Pacus

2009-10-29T22:51:00.006-04:00

Employees of a Vermont power company pulled a 2.5lb pacu fish out of Otter Creek earlier this month. What was the large, South American cousin of the piranha doing in New England? Perhaps searching for a good microbrew? ;-)

P.S. - be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the NAS Alert page to see the pacu pics!

Beached Wail

2009-10-23T21:32:00.000-04:00

Beach vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) was found in Maryland earlier this month. Wonder how far up the Atlantic coast this invader could go? (tip of the virtual hat to IPANE)

Snake Attack

2009-10-14T18:41:00.001-04:00

Are Giant Invasive Snakes using Florida as a stepping stone for a US takeover? (scroll down to see the full report, or click here)

Heard Through The Grapevine

2009-10-13T00:12:00.002-04:00

A European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) has been found in Napa Valley, California, the first find of this pest in the USA (via InvasiveInfo).

Fuel Sells

2009-10-13T00:05:00.002-04:00

Jatropha as a biofuel in Kenya hasn't quite panned out, NPR has the story.

Greeking Out

2009-09-30T21:07:00.001-04:00

The first prosecution under the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act has led to a $3 million fine and a 3-year ban from US waters for Greek shipping company Polembros. Some of the funds will go towards marine invasives research/

Hydrilla Redux

2009-09-25T10:52:00.001-04:00

The invasive aquatic plant Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) has been found in Damariscotta Lake in Maine. This is the second known site for hydrilla in that state. The infestation was found by a volunteer invasive plant monitor.

Kanadian Kudzu

2009-09-24T22:48:00.001-04:00

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) has been found in Canada, a 6000 square meter patch in Ontario, on a bluff overlooking Lake Erie

Snakes In The Mail

2009-09-20T23:15:00.001-04:00

Man who mailed a python (yes, a PYTHON) to Guam to be sentenced tomorrow: http://bit.ly/19lT7h

Opining

2009-09-11T11:23:00.002-04:00

Invasive Australian pines (Casuarina spp.) hybridizing in Florida, but apparently not in native Australia. Makes biocontrol development tricky. Via ARS News.

Musseling Into Texas

2009-08-24T22:53:00.004-04:00

Zebra mussels have been found in another Texas lake; officials are concerned the mussels are entering river systems in northern part of state (thanks to W^2 for the tip :-)).

Soldiering On

2009-08-18T20:49:00.002-04:00

Water soldier (Stratiotes aloides), an aquatic plant species native to Europe, has escaped ponds and aquariums to invade Canada's Trent River. Treatment is underway on the more than 20,000 plants that have been found so far.

Spotting Knapweed

2009-08-09T11:22:00.003-04:00

Read about one man's attempts to manually control spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa, C. biebersteinii, C. stoebe ssp. micranthos, etc. etc.) in a wildlife sanctuary in Pennsylvania.

Clamoring For More

2009-08-04T19:25:00.004-04:00

Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) have been found for the first time in South Dakota. The clams were discovered in Lewis and Clark Lake, in the southeast tip of the state.

Cell Invasion Biology

2009-08-02T14:45:00.003-04:00

The Center for Embedded and Networked Sensing (CENS) has come up with a cool way to use smartphones to quickly and easily link GPS data to photos and store that data so that it can be mapped. The National Park Service is now using the technology to record locations of invasive plants in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

The World In Your Oyster Bed

2009-07-19T22:57:00.003-04:00

A new study published in the journal Oecologia reveals that California oyster beds are under attack from introduced species, including Atlantic snails and the European green crab.

Fried Lionfish - Mmmmm!

2009-07-12T20:05:00.002-04:00

The Climate Shifts blog has an excellent post about invasive lionfish in the Caribbean, including links to recipes and preparation tips, in case you'd like to try eating these poisonous fish them out of existence. (Thanks budak!)

Mass Mussel Mania

2009-07-06T18:27:00.003-04:00

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have been found for the first time in the state of Massachusetts. The mussels were found by an alert citizen swimming in Laurel Lake in the town of Lee, located in the western part of the state.

Spurgeplus

2009-07-03T23:04:00.002-04:00

ARS News has the results of a study showing that aerial spraying of herbicide on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) on ranchland led to increased populations of the spurge and had a decade-plus impact on the native plant species there. The study looked at the after effects of a one-time application of the herbicide - presumably, more spraying would lead to a reduction in the amount of spurge, but would also further negatively impact the native plant species.

Ant Then? Ant Then?

2009-07-02T00:24:00.003-04:00

BBC News is reporting that Argentine ants have now formed a global "mega-colony" with representation on several continents.

Rocky Horror

2009-06-23T23:47:00.003-04:00

A guy in New York is celebrating today because his ginormous, so-ugly-its-cute pet snakehead fish, named "Rocky," has been given a reprieve by the NY Department of Environmental Conservation. As long as he applies for a permit (and pays the $500 permit fee), he can keep Rocky in a tank.

EAB in NY

2009-06-17T21:48:00.001-04:00

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) has been found in Western New York.

School's In For Summer

2009-06-14T11:31:00.003-04:00

Thirty-five college students are lucky enough to attend "Invasive Species" summer school in Ontario, Canada this year. The students will be trained to do invasive species outreach and monitoring.

Oregon Trailers

2009-06-12T23:21:00.002-04:00

Oregon is casting a wary eye on boaters coming from zebra mussel-infested states, and is watching for other invaders as well.

Bagging The Birds

2009-06-09T21:37:00.002-04:00

DNR in Maryland says that mute swans have to go, egg addling and killing of adult swans to continue.

A Yuan For Invasives

2009-06-07T21:06:00.001-04:00

China estimates that invasive species cost it more than $29 billion dollars (200 billion yuan) per year.

Talk About The Weatherfish

2009-06-02T21:38:00.005-04:00

A new population of the Oriental weatherfish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) has been found in New York. While there was a population in western NY that has been known since 2005, the one discovered last May is located in the southeastern tip of the state, in the Dwaar Kill.

Parking Violation

2009-05-31T22:41:00.002-04:00

If California has problems with invasive plants now, what would happen if it closed all of its state parks?

Snake Bucks

2009-05-30T11:37:00.003-04:00

Florida is considering putting a bounty out on Burmese pythons.

St. Pauli Beetle?

2009-05-14T18:33:00.003-04:00

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) has been found in St. Paul, Minnesota, the first occurrence of the invasive beetle in that state. The infestation was found by a tree care company that found the larvae in ash trees and reported it to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Read the official press release here, and for instant updates, follow the MDA's Twitter feed or their Facebook updates.

Stalk Marketing

2009-05-02T23:07:00.004-04:00

A recent study done by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) indicates that the longer a plant is cultivated, the more likely it is to become naturalized. The study was done using nursery catalogs starting from back in the late 1800s. Is length of time available for sale a strong factor in determining whether a species will become invasive? Read the full research article in Ecology, if you have a subscription.

Tex Messaging

2009-04-22T20:15:00.004-04:00

Texas Parks and Wildlife is reporting that a zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) was found in Lake Texoma earlier this April. Lake Texoma has already had four documented near misses, where boats with zebra mussels were prevented from entering the water. The state is asking everyone to keep an eye out for the invasive bivalves and to report any sightings to 1-800-792-4263 (or in Oklahoma call 1-405-521-3721).

P.S. - If you had subscribed to the ISW Twitter feed, you would have found out about zebra mussels in TX hours and hours ago.

Rocky Mountain Hi!

2009-04-15T12:23:00.005-04:00

Dr. Sharlene Sing sent in this unique summer job opportunity for students with a penchant for destroying invasive species and hiking the wilds of the Western US:

The USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station – Weed Biocontrol Team seeks biological science technicians to support our ongoing field, lab, garden and greenhouse research projects. These positions are available only to students currently enrolled in a college/university degree program who are U.S. citizens. This work is physically demanding and frequently involves working long hours, driving to remote field sites, hiking and working in rough terrain, and exposure to extremes of weather. Lodging and per diem costs will be covered when occasional overnight travel is required. Housing while at the duty station (Bozeman) is not provided. Applicants should have a valid driver’s license, and an interest or prior work experience in weed/vegetation/range/wildlife management, biology, ecology, botany, entomology, horticulture, or related area. Salary is commensurate with training and experience (GS-03 = $11.74/hr, GS-04 = $13.18/hr, GS-5 = $14.74/hr). Please contact Dr. Sharlene Sing, ssing AT fs.fed.us for further information about these positions.

To apply, submit: 1) a transcript (=screen capture image of transcript), 2) a resume (=year, date-to-date employed, where you worked, what you did, hours worked/week), 3) a confirmation letter from your university that you are eligible and/or enrolled for the Fall 2009 term, and 4) the names and phone numbers of three references to Donna Marchwick (dmarchwick AT fs.fed.us) Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 1648 S. 7th Avenue, Bozeman MT 59717-2780 (phone: 406-994-4852; fax: 406-994-5916).

Happy 7th Bloggiversary!

2009-04-13T21:36:00.003-04:00

Today is the 7th Bloggiversary of the ISW. You might have noticed there is not as much blogging going around here compared to last year - that's because I've been pretty busy with more official, Massachusetts-centric blogging duties over at the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Blog, as well as the maintenance of the MIPOP website and the Massachusetts Asian longhorned beetle Cooperative Eradication Program website. The ISW is not going anywhere, but the daily posting frequency has evolved to more of a weekly thing. To stay abreast of breaking invasive species news stories as they happen, consider subscribing to the ISW Twitter feed.

Chicago XIV

2009-04-13T20:52:00.005-04:00

Chicago has started off its spring planting season with a list...of things *not* to plant. As reported in Medill Reports, the Chicago Department of Environment has banned the import, sale, or possession of fourteen new plant species, including several common ornamentals such as princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa) and chocolate vine (Akebia quinata). Both businesses and private growers could be subject to fines if caught with the offending plants. To read the entire city regulation, including the original list of invasive plants and animals, click here.

Chesapeake Bay Goes Native

2009-04-08T21:48:00.004-04:00

After five years of research and deliberation, officials in Maryland and Virginia have decided against plans to replenish the Chesapeake Bay's oyster bed by reseeding it with Asian oysters (Crassostrea ariakensis). Instead, looks like they will be focusing their efforts on the native C. virginiensis. This article in The Baltimore Sun indicates that there is still a chance of some limited testing with the Asian oysters in the future.

Anty Herbal

2009-04-06T00:30:00.003-04:00

Interesting note over at Ketzel Uprooted about an herbal treatment for aches and pains that is supposedly an excellent repellent for red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). According to Ketzel, a blurb in the latest issue of Hortideas says that Feng Yu Jing, a blend of camphor, menthol, methyl salicylate and other ingredients, somehow staves off the nasty little insects. No info on the how and why, unfortunately.

Quaker Notes

2009-03-29T18:22:00.003-04:00

Some invasive species are definitely best kept indoors. Take, for example, the Quaker parakeet (monk parrot, Myiopsitta monachus) featured in this Yahoo! News story. The adorable bird, named Willie, recently saved the life of a little girl by screaming "Mama! Baby!" until the babysitter came into the room and realized that the girl was choking. Luckily girl and parrot are both okay. Something tells me Willie got an extra treat that day, and some scratchies, too :-). If this story isn't already sweet enough for you, check out Cute Overload!'s version of the story, which comes with extra shots of cute Quakers.

Pedicurious

2009-03-27T19:18:00.005-04:00

A couple of ISW readers sent in a link to this CNN video about the latest trend in foot care: letting fish eat the dead skin off your feet. The fish in question, charmingly called "Doctor Fish" are Garra rufa, a species in the Carp family. This method of foot care has actually been around for a few years now, probably longer in Asia. But now that it has made its way to the USA, federal and state officials are keeping a watchful eye. It is currently legal to import the fish into the country, but as the video warns, it's definitely not okay to release them into the wild. Some states, including Maryland, have also gone the extra mile of banning the practice of these fishy foot treatments. See action shot below...

Fish Spa by weegolo, via Flickr

Fighting With Fungus

2009-03-20T21:14:00.005-04:00

ARS News has a blurb about research efforts by ARS scientists that aim to find more efficient, reliable ways to select pathogens that will be good biological controls to fight invasive plants. Using a combination of DNA sequencing and a measurement of reaction of the plants to the pathogen, the researchers were able select pathogens that were the most species-specific, thereby narrowing down the time and resources needed to find the best biocontrol candidates. For some reason, ARS News doesn't link to the article the blurb is about, but there is an abstract elsewhere on their website. I will post a direct link to the article, which is published in the April 2009 issue of the journal Biological Control, as soon as Elsevier's website is back online :-).

Out Of Biocontrol

2009-03-16T22:35:00.005-04:00

An excellent piece in the Salt Lake City Weekly about the current furor over the impact that a beetle released to attack invasive tamarisk shrubs (Tamarix spp., saltcedar) is having on an endangered bird. Seems the releases of leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata as a biocontrol were a lot more successful than people had anticipated, often leading to massive tamarisk defoliations that left the nests of the Southwestern willow flycatcher completely exposed. Add to that some miscommunication between state and federal agencies and the tendency of tamarisk to take over wide swarths of riparian land, and you've got...a complicated situation.

Tip of the virtual hat to the Aridzona Weed News Forum for posting a link to this article.

Fuming

2009-03-15T23:17:00.004-04:00

A cutely worded article in The London Times reminds that, yes, even royalty must succumb to the rules of The Galapagos, as Prince Charles and his wife arrive for a tour of South America and are thoroughly fumigated before deplaning, so as to prevent any hitchhiking organisms or pathogens from further contributing to invasive species problems that plague the islands.

Aquarama Clamor

2009-03-05T21:17:00.003-05:00

Attendees at Aquarama 2009, this year's International Ornamental Fish and Accessories Exhibition, will be treated to a special one-day conference about invasive species organized by the trade association Ornamental Fish International. The conference will feature speakers from across the world, covering topics from the aquarium industry as an invasive species pathway to the approach that different coutnries take to dealing with invaders. The bad news (for me anyway) - Aquarama is all the way in Singapore. If you're in the neighborhood or up for the flight, register here.

Ask The Invasive Species Expert

2009-03-03T20:32:00.003-05:00

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is hosting an "Ask Today's Expert" forum that aims to bring the environment into the public consciousness. As luck would have it, today and tomorrow feature invasive species expert Michael Browne, eagerly awaiting your queries about the "Role of Information Exchange for Effective Responses to Biological Invasions." Go on, go ask him a question!

Update: Mr. Browne's time as an UNEP expert was brief, but fear not - you can view all the questions plus his responses here.

EAB in C PA

2009-02-25T21:08:00.002-05:00

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced today that the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) was discovered in central Pennsylvania. Until now, the EAB had been confined to five counties on the western edge of the state. The beetle's discovery in Mifflin County means a new quarantine zone for Pennsylvania. No word yet on how or when the beetle was found.

Constant Conference

2009-02-22T22:28:00.004-05:00

Some interesting invasive species conferences either happening soon or recently announced:

National Invasive Weeds Awareness Week - Washington D.C., Feb. 22-27, 2009
Understanding and managing biological invasions as dynamic processes (Odum conference) - New York, April 30-May 1, 2009 [Thanks Holly!]
Sixth International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions - Oregon, Aug. 24-27, 2009
Harmonia axyridis and other invasive ladybirds - Switzerland, Sept. 6-9, 2009
World Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning (BIOLIEF) - Portugal, Oct. 27-30, 2009
International Congress on Biological Invasions - China, Nov. 2-6, 2009

The Sadlands

2009-02-19T00:24:00.003-05:00

The Nature Conservancy has summarily dismantled what had to be one of the best and most prolific resources for invasive species information on the internet, the Global Invasive Species Team. That means no more newsletters, no new website updates, no support for the palmtop computer-based Weed Information Management System, and, most likely, no new Element Stewardship Abstracts. It also means that several people dedicated to making it just a little easier for everyone to deal with invasive species have lost their jobs. Hopefully the Weed Control Methods Handbook, the voluminous Management Library, Rod Randall's massive weed database, and other tools, housed on UC Davis servers, will remain live for the long term. Read the details here.

Mother May I?

2009-02-16T23:34:00.003-05:00

Mother Jones has an interesting article this month titled "What Invasive Species Are Trying to Tell Us." It covers invasive species from an Australian point of view but also comes full circle with descriptions of the way that the lionfish (Pterois volitans) and other species have become problems from Queensland to the Florida coast. Definitely worth a read.

Smells Like Teen Lamprey

2009-02-08T18:50:00.003-05:00

The Globe and Mail is reporting that biologists have developed a synthetic pheromone that attracts female sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) away from males and into traps. The chemical will soon be put to the test in lamprey-infested streams in both Michigan and Canada, and is expected to join lampricides, trapping, and underwater barriers as another tool in the arsenal of those trying to rid the Great Lakes of this invasive species.

For those who want to dig deeper into this research, you can check out the original article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (subscription required at the time of this post). Bonus points to the G&M for using the fish's scientific name.

These Boots Are Made For Wading

2009-02-01T13:23:00.008-05:00

Could this be a first for a major retailer? L.L. Bean has created their new Riverkeeper Wading Boots with a specific goal in mind: make it less likely for aquatic invaders to stick to the boots and travel new locations. They did it by reducing the number of seams on the shoe, using materials that dry quickly and incorporating nonporous materials where they could. The company even includes a little brush that can be used to scrub the boots after you leave the water.

L.L. Bean consulted with a microbiologist who concluded that the boots were less likely than felt-soled boots to pick up and retain those unwanted hitchhikers. Too bad they didn't have their copywriter consult with an invasive species specialist before the catalog went to print - they bungled the spelling of both didymo and milfoil on page 12. But hey, we still get the picture:

(Tip of the virtual hat to the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel for posting about this.)

Meat The Squirrels

2009-01-15T19:11:00.002-05:00

More on the squirrel-eatin' Brits, this time from The Colbert Report. Previous ISW squirrel-eatin' Brit coverage here.

Read Up!

2009-01-14T23:59:00.001-05:00

The National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species (NECIS) has just published "An Action Plan on Invasive Species" aimed at effecting change in the policies set by both Congress and the President of the United States regarding invasive species. Specifically, NECIS, which is comprised of 17 different non-governmental organizations, is asking for the following five actions to be taken:

Screen intentional imports
Prevent inadvertent introductions
Fund early detection and response
Create and support federal leadership
Fill other funding gaps

They're not asking for much, are they? :-) Want to learn more? You can download the full report here.

(Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listserver for posting a link to this story.)