Zapped

Many news sources, including the Detroit Free Press, are reporting that the House of Representatives has approved funding for a permanent electrical barrier to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. The measure passed allows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spend more than $8 million to finish the construction project, which was started several months ago. Apparently they needed a bit more money than the $4 million the Army Corps almost took away a while back.

Disharmonia

Expat.telegraph is reporting that there is a new invasive insect in the UK, one "with the potential to wipe out half of Britain's native species." And this species is...a ladybug? Yes, the Asian lady beetle, also known as the Harlequin ladybird beetle (Harmonia axyridis), was discovered a couple of weeks ago in a garden in Britain. The article is referring to the loss of native ladybug species, by the way, not the whole of the UK's flora and fauna. Scientists hypothesized that the beetle was blown across the English Channel by the wind. Read more about Asian ladybugs from previous ISW posts.

Coochie Coochie Coo

From the absurdly gigantic to the tiny, and dare I say, cute? Just because it faded away from the front page, doesn't mean the snakehead problem in the Potomac River has gone away. The Washington Post is now reporting that a 3-inch-young northern snakehead (Channa argus) has been discovered near Alexandria, Virginia, an indiciation that the species in breeding in the wild. For background about the Potomac invasion from the ISW, click here.

Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listserver for a heads up about this story.

Return of Frankenfish

Sci-Fi Channel is at it again. Not content with it's own version of snakehead fish (Channa spp.) gone wild, this weekend they're airing "Frankenfish," a charming tale about escaped mutated fish that attack houseboats in a Louisiana bayou. Don't worry, if you missed Sci-Fi's "Snakehead Terror" a few months back, they'll be airing it again right before the "Frankenfish" premiere.

Better Homes and Gardens

The National Wildlife Federation and eNature recently debuted their Native Gardening and Invasive Plants Guide. In it, you'll not only find lists of known and potential invasive plants in your state, but also lists of native species you might find to be better alternatives for your own garden. The listmakers have apparently erred on the side of caution, as there are a few species on the Massachusetts list that are either not likely to be planted (dodder? perennial pepperweed?) or to be invasive here (melaleuca?), but this is nonetheless a great resource.

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

Arrivals

The Yard & Garden Line News, an informative e-newsletter put out by the University of Minnesota Extension Service, has an interesting feature this month, about three different pests that have recently shown up in yards & gardens. Click on the link to read about two insects and a species of slug that appear to be new to the Minnesota landscape.

Talking Trash

The invasion of Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica, Polygonum cuspidatum, etc.) at a landfill in Orleans, Massachusetts is about to become a lot more than just a nuisance. According this story from The Cape Codder, the town is set to start taking bids to have the landfill capped. Unfortunately, one of the most amazing and annoying things about knotweed is that it can grow right through things like concrete and asphalt. So capping the landfill with a clay liner is likely to leave it susceptible to damage as the knotweed breaks through. The article says most of the knotweed has been removed with a combination of herbicide application, drying out, and cutting - here's hoping they've done a thorough job.