Too Far Gone

Colorado's given up when it comes to weeds...sort of. According to researchers, more than 75% of the invasive plants in that state are already so well established that there is no chance to eradicate them. So, says the state, why waste the money? That may be why lawmakers have skipped over the weed management fund for the past two years when determining the state's budget. Read the full story in the Denver Post.

Labor Day at the Lake

Forget those old "Don't Drink and Drive" messages you hear every Labor Day, this year in Wisconsin they tried something new. As reported in the Duluth News Tribune, volunteers brought together by the state's Clean Boats, Clean Waters (.pdf) program spent the day at boat landings, inspecting boats for invasive species and educating boat owners. Volunteers say that the response to the program so far has been positive.

Thanks to Z*lda for sending a link to this story.

A Strain on Ant Relations

Back in February 2003 I posted about the Agricultural Research Service's efforts to find a biological control for the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). Now a kind reader has pointed out this March 2004 article from AgNews, about the detection of a protozoan (Thelohania solenopsae) in wild populations of the ant. Discovered in more than 75% of the Texas counties where the red imported fire ant is found, this strain of Thelohania solenopsae appears to have found its way to the ants without human intervention, and tests show that it is different from the strain used in laboratory tests.

Thanks to Thomas D. for sending in the link to this story.

Vine and Dandy

When there's a pun in the title, it has to be a good report, right? :-) The Washington Post web site currently features an article titled "Love Me Tendril." It's about the many species of non-native vines taking over parts of D.C., Virginia and Maryland. Despite the silly title, this is a meaty article that covers everything from why a vine starts "vining" to management projects to Biblical references and poetry devoted to these twining plants.

Mass Invaders! Redux

With the school year beginning this week in much of the U.S., teachers thinking about adding the topic of invasive plants to their curriculum should visit the Mass Invaders website. The site was developed as a companion to the poster you see above. While it is geared towards Massachusetts residents, it has dozens of links and several hundred photos, sure to be useful no matter what part of the country you call home. If you are a teacher in Massachusetts you can order a copy for the cost of postage (a mere $1.25!) by clicking on the "About" link at the website.

Asian Invasion

Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) continue their nasty, globetrotting ways in the eastern hemisphere. According to this report from The China Post, the South American ants are now in Taiwan, first discovered in cargo containers a few years ago. Scientists are warning that if strong steps are not taken soon, the health of Taiwan's human population and livestock will be at risk, and that country's economy could take a hit of over $100 billion per year.

That Dirty Snake!

State workers in Maui were bewildered and outraged to discover that someone stole two of the traps they laid out to capture the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) that may be roaming the island. As reported by The Maui News, the chances of finding the snake have now been become even smaller, and the search party only has until Friday to complete the search. In related news from KauaiWorld.com, Guam is cutting funding of their brown tree snake management program, increasing the likelihood that one will be introduced to Hawaii via a contaminated plane.