An official website of the United States government.

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Massachusetts

Provides selected Massachusetts resources from agencies and organizations with an interest in the prevention, control, or eradication of invasive species.

Spotlights

  • Invasive Pests in the Winter Months

    • Dec 19, 2023
    • Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project. Outreach Blog.

    • Most invasive insects are hidden away for the winter, but you still might encounter them when you split wood, move outdoor furniture indoors, or admire evergreen plants while on a hike.  Learn more about invasive pests you may come across and how to report them.

  • It's Time: Spotted Lanternflies are Hatching

    • Apr 28, 2023
    • Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project. Outreach Blog.

    • This year’s unusually warm winter and spring has led to the early hatch of spotted lanternfly (SLF) in states to our south.  Reports have come in over the past couple of weeks of SLF hatching from Virginia to Pennsylvania, and we anticipate them following suit here in Massachusetts in the next month.

  • State Agricultural Officials Ask Residents to Report Sightings of the Invasive Spotted Lanternfly: Hampden County Find Indicates Species Is Continuing to be Found in New Areas

    • Aug 9, 2022
    • Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

    • The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) today announced that an infestation of the invasive insect known as spotted lanternfly (SLF) was found in the City of Springfield last week. "With new populations of the spotted lanternfly likely to pop up more and more frequently as the invasive pest becomes established across the northeast, it is critical that we all remain diligent in identifying them early onAnyone who sees this pest is asked to report it promptly. Early detection will help limit the spread of spotted lanternfly and give orchards, farms, and other growers time to prepare."

      Anyone who has recently received goods or materials from states where SLF is known to have been introduced (including Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia; see SLF-infested states) should also be on the lookout. Additionally, if a spotted lanternfly is found, the public is asked to take a photo or collect the specimen, and report the sighting using MDAR’s SLF online reporting form.

  • Invasive Snakehead Caught in Canton, Massachusetts

    • Sep 2, 2021
    • Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

    • On August 27, an angler caught a northern snakehead from Reservoir Pond in Canton, Massachusetts. After obtaining and analyzing the specimen, MassWildlife confirmed this fish was a snakehead, an invasive species in Massachusetts. This fish was most likely released by a pet owner when it grew too large for its aquarium. Possession and liberation of snakeheads are both illegal in Massachusetts. Transferring exotic fish into local waterways can cause a host of problems, including competition with native species and spread of disease. This recent catch is the fifth confirmed snakehead documented in Massachusetts since 2002. All snakeheads found in Massachusetts were adults, and MassWildlife has found no evidence of reproduction at any of the locations where the snakeheads were caught.

      Anglers may confuse snakeheads with other native species like bowfin. Anyone who captures a fish that can be confidently identified as a snakehead should keep the fish, kill it, and report it to MassWildlife by emailing mass.wildlife@mass.gov or calling (508) 389-6300. MassWildlife encourages anglers who are less certain about the species of fish they have caught to send photos showing various angles of the fish. Under no circumstance should a suspected snakehead be transported to another location until identification is confirmed.

  • Asian Longhorned Beetle Report

    • Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project.

    • The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis, "ALB"), a pest of hardwood trees including maple, birch and horse chestnut, was first discovered in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2008. Since their discovery, $50 million in federal and state money has been spent to eradicate the beetle, and 25,000 infested trees in the Worcester area have been cut down in an effort to halt the spread. Use this form to report a possible Asian longhorned beetle sighting in Massachusetts or other states.

  • Outsmart Invasive Species Project

    • University of Massachusetts - Amherst. MassWoods Forest Conservation Program.

    • We need your help to "outsmart" invasive species in Massachusetts. If you have a smartphone or a digital camera, the power to protect the natural heritage of Massachusetts is already in your hands. Join the Outsmart Invasive Species Project to help stop the spread of non-native plants and insects that threaten our environment.

State Specific Threats

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this location, organized by source.

Partnership
State and Local Government
Academic
  • Massachusetts Integrated Pest Management Program

    • University of Massachusetts - Amherst. Extension.

    • The University of Massachusetts Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program is a systems-oriented educational program that involves an interdisciplinary approach to ecosystem management, agricultural crop production and community pest management. This approach incorporates mechanisms for accurate estimation of both pest and beneficial insect populations, includes both economic and environmental cost and benefit assessments, and prescribes a combination of strategies for control of pest problems.

Professional