The Big Dig

I was cruising around a hair-pin turn, before getting on the Mass Pike earlier this week, and was surprised to catch a glimpse of something flowering in the wreckage that is known as Boston's Big Dig. Anyone that knows the area I am talking about understands that it is a construction wasteland. The fact that anything was growing there at all was a shock. Turns out it was Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), a species that is native here, but has become a successful invasive species in Europe (see here, here or here for examples). While Jerusalem artichoke is considered a problem weed in parts of the U.S., I've had trouble growing this plant in my own yard. And while I don't see it around Eastern Massachusetts much, unless it has been planted, my Big Dig sighting is a testament to this species' weedy capabilities.

Moving In

Some of us in Massachusetts have been noticing the propensity of a certain bug to show up around the house lately, and now the media has taken notice as well. As reported in the MetroWest Daily News, the insects, while sometimes referred to as "stink bugs," are actually Western conifer seed bugs (Leptoglossus occidentalis), a relatively new arrival in the Northeastern U.S. While they do emit a pine-like odor when crushed, they smell no where near as bad as actual stink bugs. I'm not sure if the paper version of this article had a photo, but the online version sure could use one. Luckily, we've got plenty of photos right here. This species is native to the Western U.S., so depending on who you ask, it may not be considered invasive in the eastern part of the country. Unfortunately, the pest has already made its way overseas, as this web page from Italy demonstrates.

Get off our duff!

Earthworms are causing problems in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to this report in The Daily Times. A species of earthworm, suspected to be native to Asia, cleared all the duff - the layer of decomposing plant material just below leaf litter - from a section of forest. A lack of duff can mean less nutrients in the soil, and damage to the root systems of plants in the herbaceous understory. A similar problem, but with European earthworms, was reported about a year ago in Minnesota.

Muddy River

The New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) continues to spread in Wyoming, according to this story in the Billings Gazette. Though the prolific snails have been spotted in several western states since the mid-1990s, its appearance in the Bighorn River is its first appearance in Wyoming outside of Yellowstone National Park. Scientists, who are speculating that the snails were introduced via contaminated angling gear, have begun an assessment to determine the extent of the invasion.

The Good and the Bad?

Two intersting blurbs about water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) today. First, the Herald Tribune reports that a scientist has developed a way to use populations of the invasive aquatic plant to remove excess nutrients that pollute stormwater runoff. The best part is that once the water is clean, the water hyacinth is removed and turned into a supplement for cattle feed. Read the article and you'll see that this is no fly-by-night project.

Also in the news today is a report from the India Times that water hyacinth invasion leads to an increase in dengue fever (Flavirus spp.). When water hyacinth populations take over a body of water, vegetation below the surface is shaded out and decays, leading to a loss of oxygen in the water. Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease, and it is suspected that the fish that would normally eat mosquito larvae are being suffocated.

Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listserver for posting link to these stories.

Its ears must have been burning

Just one day after a big meeting in Minnesota to discuss the potential of building a barrier across the Mississippi River, to prevent the introduction of carp into that state, a commercial fisherman netted a 23 lb. bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) in Lake Pepin. This marks the first time an invasive carp has been discovered in Minnesota. As reported in the Star-Tribune, officials are hoping this was just a "stray" and remain confident that it is not too late to prevent the carp from establishing in their state.

The Scent of Doom

Maryland is on alert now that the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) has been spotted in Washington County, according to this report from nbc4.com. The Asian insect, first seen in the U.S. in Pennsylvania a few years ago, enjoys a variety of fruits, making this invasion a serious danger to orchard owners in the area. Biologists aren't sure how the insects got to Maryland, but as I've said before, Maryland is the place to be if you're an invasive species. In a related story, brown stink bugs (unsure of species) have infested the campus of Lehigh University, both inside and out.