Surrender The Frogs!

The Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Montana is asking anyone who purchased an African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) from the Grow-a-Frog company to either return the frog growing kits or euthanize the animals, according to this report from the Great Falls Tribune. The impetus behind this request is the concern that the frogs could escape or be released and establish in the wild. The African clawed frog has been banned in Montana since 2005, but the owner of Grow-a-Frog, a Florida-based mail order company, said that the company was only recently made aware of the ban.

Regular ISW readers may remember this post from September, about a similar situation in Nevada.

We Didn't Start The Fire...or maybe we did!

The Missoulian is reporting that researchers in Montana are taking a closer look at the way their state fights wildfires following concern that it could be leading to the further spread of invasive plant species. Typically large wildfires are attacked from above through the release of flame retardant by aircraft. Unfortunately the flame retardant contains chemicals that can act like a fertilizer on the ground below, injecting the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus that invaders like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and tumbleweed mustard (Sisymbrium sp.) grab onto and use as a nutrient boost to expand their populations. Since cheatgrass is known to contribute to the strength and size of fires, these aerial treatments meant to fight fire could actually be indirectly contributing to future burns. One possible way being considered to deal with this problem is to follow flame retardant treatments with a reseeding of native seeds.

Thanks to Bill of the Invasive Species of Eastern USA blog for sending in a link to this story.

New And Notable

The EPPO Reporting Service, in the April 2007 issue of their newsletter (.pdf only, unfortunately, so no direct links!), noted the following new arrivals:

• The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is spreading in both the European and Far East parts of Russia. Russian ash trees are not amused...and neither are the people that planted them. The import of many Russian street trees in Russia from Canada is being eyed as one possible vector. There is more information here, if you can read Russian.
• Australia is reporting the first known instances of downy mildew (Plasmopara obducens) infecting Impatiens plants (Impatiens walleriana). Well, "busy lizzy" is an invasive in its own right, so I am not sure how I feel about that one. It cannot be good for the Aussie nursery industry though.
• Germany recently reported the discovery of three newly naturalized aquatic plants in that country: variable-leaved milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum), hygrophila (Hygrophila polysperma), and lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus).

We also have two new aquatic invasive plant discoveries in the USA, courtesy of the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Alert System:

• Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) has been found in Montana, in the Noxon Reservoir and in the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir as well.
• Yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata) has been found in Nebraska, in a lake in Omaha.

Dog Gone It!

Dogs hunting invasive plants...it's not a joke. deseretnews.com reports that Kim Goodwin, a scientist at Montana State University, is working with a trainer to determine whether dogs can be taught to identify weeds by smell, and to locate them in the field. The first target, this being Montana, is spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa / biebersteinii). Trials with the first dog, named "Knapweed Nightmare," will begin this spring.