Feral Idaho

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!

Hybrid Drive

The Seattle Post Intelligencer is reporting that at least some of the milfoil (Myriophyllum spp.) taking over waters in northern Idaho is a hybrid between native Northern water milfoil (M. sibiricum) and Eurasian water milfoil (M. spicatum). Not only is the hybrid milfoil tougher than its parents, but scientists say it's also tough to determine whether you've got the hybrid unless you're studying it in the lab.

While the state of Idaho has been pouring money into non-specific herbicides to eradicate water milfoil from bodies of water, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting the hybrid water milfoil has greater resistance to chemical treatment. One environmental group is inquring about a biological control, but it sounds like it is going to be pretty hard to use it yet spare the native plants - the insect they typically use to control European water milfoil is a weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) that was discovered on Northern water milfoil (read this article by Roley and Newman for more info).

See you later, Alligator

Evidence is mounting that alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)) can transmit West Nile virus (Flavivirus sp.), according to this article from The Idaho Statesman. An Idaho man handled infected baby alligators, shipped from Florida, and later came down with a mild case of the virus. Hundreds of the gators died after arriving at the gator farm where the man works, and the rest of the 1,000 that were imported were later destroyed. While the method of infection is not certain, the man does not remember being bitten by a mosquito, and no West Nile-infected mosquitos have been found within state lines. Someone should lets folks in Louisiana know about this; this story from The Advocate states that alligator-to-human transmission is not possible.