Knotweed or Not?

kgw.com has this AP article describing the problems Oregon is having with knotweed. Unfortunately the common name "knotweed" is used to refer to any number of species, so the general reader will have no idea what plant the article is referring to. You can tell that whatever it is, it's invasive, it has hollow stems, and The Nature Conservancy wants to use herbicide injections to get rid of it. Luckily, your expert ISW reporter can narrow it down for you. They're likely talking about Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica or Polygonum cuspidatum). But they might also be talking about its gigantic but less common cousin, Giant knotweed (F. sachalinensis), or the hybrid between these species, F. x bohemica. Or maybe even Himalayan knotweed (Polygonum polystachum). All of these knotweed species are currently making their presence known in the Pacific Northwest. Whichever it is, best of luck to TNC on their control project.

Holes

In response to the discovery of 16 trees with suspicious looking "exit wounds," officials in Fairfax County, Virginia are getting ready to remove almost 200 ash trees by this spring. As reported by the Washington Post, the reason behind the extreme reaction is the fear that the trees are infested with the dreaded emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis). The trees in question were purchased from a nursery in southeast Michigan, an area which is now under quarantine because of the ash borer invasion. If beetles are found, this would be the first known occurence of that invasive species in the state of Virginia. You can review the history of the emerald ash borer in the U.S. through previous ISW posts.

Thanks to a member of the Yahoo! group ma-eppc for posting a link to the article.

Peppercorns!

When I was at the supermarket the last week, looking to refill my pepper grinder, I found out two interesting things: 1) gourmet peppercorn blends often contain little true pepper and 2) those same blends can contain the invasive species Brazilian pepperbush (Schinus terebinthifolius). The bottle of McCormick's "Peppercorn Mélange" actually prints the scientific name of the plant in the ingredient list (You can see a photo of the product here). McCormick lists the berries, usually referred to in the spice trade as "Pink Peppercorns," as from the Island of Réunion. While the shrubs are cultivated on that island, which is located in the Indian Ocean, inhabitants are also apparently dealing with a major invasion. I'm going to try germinating some of the seeds from bottle I bought, and will post my results here in the ISW.

The other side of the pond

This is not exactly a story about invasive species, but England's Eastern Daily Press has this article about a study showing the link between the decrease in starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations and the popularity of gardening and home-improvement television shows. Apparently a lot of people have decided it's a good idea to cover their roof eaves with plastic and cover their garden beds with gravel, and this has translated into fewer nesting places and insects for birds to feed on. It's strange hearing about those particular species, considered pests in much of the U.S., as being red-listed (endangered) in their native habitat.

Thanks to the Conserv@tion website for posting the link to this story.

Muddying the Waters

This article from the Sierra Sun stands out not because it is a detailed, informative piece on the New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), but because it never actually names the creature it is talking about! Referring only to "NZMS" and "small brown snail," the article does go on to give a good history of the snail's introduction in the western U.S., and mentions the discoveries of "NZMS" late last year in California's Putah Creek and the Mokelumne River (which a lot of people apparently refer to as the Mokelumme River). There are also tips at the end of the about how anglers can clean their gear to avoid becoming a vector of invasive mollusks. If you're a fly fisher in California, you'll want to pick up a copy of February's issue of California Fly Fisher magazine, which has an article about the mud snail invasion.

Thanks, but No Thanks!

As reported at MaineToday.com, this week a legislative panel in Maine unanimously rejected a proposal to introduce grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) to lakes as a control for invasive aquatic plants. The rejection was likely due to testimony at a public hearing last week, where opponents cited the carp's voracious, indiscriminating appetite. Even lake associations that had originally supported the proposed legislation changed their minds once they heard the details. The bill, which was introduced in December 2003, was first mentioned in this ISW entry. (I wonder if the AP reporter chuckled when s/he wrote the part about the bill being "dead in the water"?)

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