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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Invasive Species Resources

Invasive Species Resources

Provides access to all site resources, with the option to search by species common and scientific names. Resources can be filtered by Subject, Resource Type, Location, or Source.

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Avian Influenza
DOI. USGS. National Wildlife Health Center.
Provides news updates and other resources
Canal Grass: Smithsonian Scientist Clears Up Panamanian Urban Legend (Nov 30, 2020)

Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Urban legends about the origins of canal grass in Panama abound, but the Smithsonian has new evidence that puts the question to rest. Canal grass is an invasive weed, native to Asia. Because its tiny seeds blow in the wind, it readily invades clearings and spreads to form impenetrable stands by budding from tillers and rhizomes. Once established, canal grass is challenging to eliminate.

Galápagos Islands Have 10 Times More Alien Marine Species Than Once Thought (Mar 28, 2019)
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
More than 50 non-native species have found their way to the Galápagos Islands, over 10 times more than scientists previously thought, reports a new study in Aquatic Invasions published Thursday, March 28. The study, a joint effort of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Williams College, and the Charles Darwin Foundation, documents 53 species of introduced marine animals in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth. Before this study came out, scientists knew about only five.
Have You Seen This Mosquito? Aggressive Mosquito Species Vanishes from Pacific Island (Feb 28, 2018)

DOI. United States Geological Survey.

The Asian tiger mosquito can carry dread diseases like Zika, and yellow and dengue fever. After it vanished from Palmyra Atoll, an island in the tropical Pacific, USGS researchers and partners set out to find out why.

Interior Awards $942,206 to Eradicate Invasive Species in Insular Areas (May 20, 2020)

DOI. Office of Insular Affairs.

U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech announced $942,206 in fiscal year (FY) 2020 Coral Reef and Natural Resources Initiative grants to eradicate and control the spread of invasive species in the U.S. territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), as well as in the Republic of Palau, and Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Funding will be used to introduce biological control of coconut rhinoceros beetles, control and eradicate feral cats and monitor lizards, and destroy wild vines, all of which are disruptive to ecological systems and impacting communities and livelihoods in the islands.

Interior Provides $1.5 Million to Combat Invasive Species and Protect Natural Resources in the Insular Areas (Aug 20, 2018)

DOI. Office of Insular Affairs.

Doug Domenech, U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs this week announced $1,488,890 in fiscal year 2018 grants to combat invasive species and protect natural resources in the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau. "Invasive species in the islands are disruptive for both marine and terrestrial resources in the islands, which already face a delicate balance," said Assistant Secretary Domenech. "Secretary Zinke and I are pleased to help control and eradicate invasive species in the islands in order to protect public health, livelihoods, and fragile environments and economies."

Invasive Brown Treesnake Present on Cocos Island, Agencies Working to Prevent Further Spread (Nov 5, 2020)

DOI. United States Geological Survey.

For the first time, an invasive brown treesnake population has been found on Cocos Island, an 83.1 acre atoll located 1.5 miles off the southwest coast of Guam. The brown treesnake was a major contributor to the loss of nine of 11 native forest birds and significant population declines of several native lizards, bats and other bird species on Guam. They now pose a threat to the wildlife of Cocos Island. Guam Department of Agriculture Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources is working with partners to better understand how many brown treesnakes are on the island and the best way to remove them.

Invasive Species Pocket Guide for Alaska Firefighters (Apr 2018) (PDF | 10.7 MB)
USDA. FS. Alaska Region.
Firefighting personnel can unintentionally transport invasive species on clothes, gear, and equipment from the lower 48 to Alaska. They can also unintentionally spread invasive species within Alaska, from infested areas to clean areas. Aquatic invasive species can also be spread any time water is moved from an infested area to another waterbody, when seeds, propagules, or larvae are carried in small amounts of water or trapped in the water-handling equipment. This booklet is a tool to help identify some of the invasive species of greatest concern in Alaska and also suggests BMPs that will help firefighting personnel avoid introducing or spreading them. It also identifies four invasive species that should be reported to authorities and how to report them. See also: Invasive Plants Publications for more resources.
New Yup'ik-English Guide to Invasive Species is a First for the Forest Service and a Practical Identification and Prevention Tool for Bush Alaska (Jan 19, 2012)
USDA. FS. Alaska Region.
Partnering with a local Alaskan native community, the U.S. Forest Service has for the first time published a dual language booklet in English and a native Alaskan language, Yup'ik, to help educate the greater community in Southwestern Alaska on invasive species. This publication, Protecting Southwestern Alaska from Invasive Species: A Guide in the English and Yup'ik Languages, aims to explain invasive species concerns unique to Southwestern Alaska, which is home to a large community of the indigenous Yup'ik people.
USDA and CFIA Establish Protocol to Minimize Trade Disruptions in the Event of an African Swine Fever Detection in Feral Swine (Mar 16, 2021)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have developed a protocol to help ensure bilateral trade will continue if African swine fever (ASF) is detected in feral swine in either country, while still absent from domestic swine. The intent of the protocol is to protect swine populations in both countries during an outbreak of ASF in feral swine, while minimizing impacts on the trade of live swine, swine products, and other swine commodities.

USDA Announces 2020 Plans for Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Efforts in New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio (Mar 19, 2020)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing its plans for combatting the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) in New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio in 2020. "Just last year we declared eradication of ALB from Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, ending the city's 23-year-long battle with the beetle," said Osama El-Lissy, APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine Deputy Administrator. "This year, we've mapped out a sound strategy that will further our efforts to eliminate this pest from the remaining areas of this country where it still has a foothold."

Every year, APHIS evaluates and determines the most effective options to achieve ALB eradication. In 2020, the ALB program will focus on inspecting trees in quarantined areas in New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio, and removing infested trees at no cost to property owners. The program will not apply insecticide treatments this year. In addition, program officials will monitor for the beetle’s presence inside and around each area, respond to service calls, conduct training sessions for compliance agreement holders, and perform outreach.

USDA Confirms Virulent Newcastle Disease in Backyard Exhibition Birds in Utah, Not a Food Safety Concern (Jan 29, 2019)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of virulent Newcastle disease in a small flock of backyard exhibition chickens in Utah County, Utah. This is the first case of virulent Newcastle disease in Utah. This case is believed to be connected to the current outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease in California, as three of the birds at the premises were recently moved to Utah from Los Angeles County, California. Since May 2018, 299 cases of Newcastle disease have been confirmed in Southern California, primarily in backyard exhibition birds.

Virulent Newcastle disease is not a food safety concern. No human cases of Newcastle disease have ever occurred from eating poultry products.

USDA Declares New York City Free of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Oct 10, 2019)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

On October 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in coordination with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation announced that they have eliminated the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) from the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. "I am proud to say that we have eradicated Asian longhorned beetle from Brooklyn and Queens," said Greg Ibach, USDA's Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. "This officially marks the end of our 23-year long battle with this pest in New York City."

USDA Establishes European Cherry Fruit Fly Quarantine in Niagara County, New York (Jun 14, 2018)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has established a quarantine for European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) in New York. A portion of Niagara County was quarantined for the invasive fruit fly following the detection of 51 flies in 2017. As of January 2020, the quarantined area has been expanded to include all of Niagara, Erie, and Orleans Counties. APHIS and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) are working collaboratively on this detection. See also: Fruit Flies Quarantine for additional information.

Using eDNA to Monitor Alaskan Waters for Invasive European Green Crabs (Dec 1, 2020)

DOC. NOAA. Fisheries.

Natural resource managers in British Columbia discovered several adult male and female European green crabs on Haida Gwaii this past July. Alarm bells immediately went off for biologists in Alaska. The archipelago of Haida Gwaii, off the coast of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, is very close to Alaska. The July discovery is the closest confirmed finding of the invasive crustacean since it was first detected in the San Francisco Bay area in 1989.