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See also: Tree and Shrub Disease for more fact sheets.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has analyzed the potential environmental impacts of releasing a parasitoid wasp to biologically control the Russian wheat aphid. The Russian wheat aphid is a wingless, pale yellow-green or gray-green insect lightly dusted with white wax powder that feeds and develops on grass and cereal species. The biological control agent is a small, stingless wasp called Aphelinus hordei that can be used to reduce the severity of damage caused by Russian wheat aphids. Based on our assessment and other relevant data, releasing this biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. APHIS invites the public to review and comment on the environmental assessment until June 4, 2020, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register on May 5, 2020. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/APHIS-2020-0009 to comment.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is replacing the common name for regulated Lymantria moths. APHIS will replace "gypsy moth" (Lymantria dispar) with "spongy moth" and "Asian gypsy moth" (L. dispar asiatica, L. dispar japonica, L. albescens, L. postalba, and L. umbrosa) with "flighted spongy moth complex." This change aligns APHIS with the Entomological Society of America’s "Better Common Names Project" and the scientific community. Spongy moths are significant invasive forest pests. They can defoliate hundreds of species of trees and shrubs and harm our country’s natural resources.

Public outreach and educational site (former Asianlonghornedbeetle.com site).

APHIS offers the Defend the Flock education program to provide the tools and resources you need to make sure that you are doing everything possible to keep your birds healthy and reduce the risk that an infectious disease will spread from your property to other flocks. Biosecurity is the key to keeping our Nation’s poultry healthy!

The Defend the Flock program provides information and resources from USDA and other experts for keeping poultry healthy. It includes practical tips from growers like you, veterinarians, state agencies, scientists, and industry professionals for practicing biosecurity every day. Biosecurity is a team effort. We have to work together to defend our nation’s flocks. Resources include information needed to practice good biosecurity is available here -- checklists, resource guides, videos, and other tools.

In response to the increasing damage and disease threats posed by expanding feral swine populations in the U.S. , Congress appropriated funds to APHIS in 2014 to create a collaborative National Feral Swine Damage Management Program. Congress continues to allocate funds annually to support the program. The program’s overarching goal is to protect agricultural and natural resources, property, animal health, and human health and safety by managing feral swine damage. APHIS collaborates with many stakeholders—including States, Tribes, other Federal agencies, universities, and the public—to accomplish this goal.
See related resource: Squeal on Pigs!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is asking the public to look for and report signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). APHIS declares August is “Tree Check Month” and asks everyone to look for signs of this destructive, invasive beetle by checking trees on your property and in your community for damage. Left unchecked, ALB can cause infested trees to die.

Effective November 16, 2021, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine area in San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, California. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area. This action is in response to the CDFA’s confirmation of a mature, unmated female Medfly on October 25, and a subsequently confirmed male Medfly on November 9 from Jackson traps placed in backyard citrus trees in residential areas of Upland, California. There are 15.75 acres of commercial agricultural production in the quarantine area. Currently, the quarantine area encompasses 95 square miles.

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), is expanding the quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM, Cydalima perspectalis) to include all of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Jackson, Livingston, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is modifying the conditions under which citrus fruit may be moved interstate from areas quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) when destined for processing or packing in a commercial citrus-producing state without a state-wide SOS quarantine.

Areawide Pest Management (AWPM) is the systematic reduction of a target pest(s) to predetermined levels using uniformly applied pest mitigation measures over geographical areas clearly defined by biologically-based criteria (e.g., pest colonization, dispersal potential). This storymap provides the following: Background, Current Projects, Success Stories, and Data Exploration. The program has six active projects on crops, insects, invasive plants, and agronomic weeds spread across the US. These updates provide a brief summary, current status and projections along with photos and graphs.
Note: Success Stories include The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) of Leafy Spurge, Invasive Annual Grasses (cheatgrass medusahead),  Fruit Flies (Mediterranean fruit fly, melon fly, Oriental fruit fly, and Malaysian fruit fly).

DNR and partners are working to eradicate a wild population of Argentine black and white tegus in Toombs and Tattnall counties in southeast Georgia. Growing up to 4 feet long and weighing 10 pounds or more, this lizard native to South America is an invasive species that threatens Georgia wildlife. Early detection, rapid response and public involvement are key to stopping tegus in this area. In Toombs and Tattnall, DNR's Wildlife Resources Division, the U.S. Geological Survey and Georgia Southern University are trapping tegus, tracking sightings and assessing the population. Tell DNR when you see a tegu in the wild, alive or dead. These reports help biologists document occurrences and respond effectively. Note the location, take a photo if possible and report the sighting:

• Online: gainvasives.org/argentine-black-and-white-tegu
• Phone: (478) 994-1438
• Email: gainvasives@dnr.ga.gov

Located across approximately 39 states, feral hogs cause an estimated $1.5 billion annually in agricultural and ecological damage. The Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force is a group of agencies dedicated to eradicating feral hogs from the state. Accurately measuring the Arkansas feral hog population is part of that process. Sightings can be reported at the Arkansas Feral Hog Sighting Report Form.