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Seed banks can provide insight into a forest’s past and give land managers valuable information to help them plan for the forest’s future. For example, knowing which species may germinate after future fires is valuable, especially when nonnative invasive species in the seed bank could proliferate quickly following disturbances.

In this study, researchers analyzed the species composition of buried seeds and extant vegetation present in areas that have faced differing fire conditions over many years on the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.

Spotted lanternfly is a threat to Maryland and the U.S. The Maryland Department of Agriculture issued a quarantine October 28, 2019 in an effort to contain the invasive species in Cecil and Harford counties after the spotted lanternfly was spotted in Cecil’s northeastern corner and along Harford’s northern border. See additional resources on the Maryland Department of Agriculture's site for Spotted Lanternfly for up-to-date information.

For questions related to the quarantine, permitting, treatment, or to report a sighting of the spotted lanternfly, especially outside of the quarantine zone, call 410-841-5920 or email DontBug.MD@maryland.gov. If you report a spotted lanternfly via email, please provide the location of the sighting and your contact information.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to list the tricolored bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The species faces extinction due primarily to the range-wide impacts of white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease affecting cave-dwelling bats across the continent.

Bats are essential for healthy ecosystems and contribute at least $3 billion annually to the U.S. agriculture economy through pest control and pollination. The growing extinction crisis highlights the importance of the ESA and efforts to conserve species before declines become irreversible.
See also: Related story (Sep 13, 2020) - How the USFWS and its partners are working to keep this little bat from vanishing forever

ITP is pleased to announce the release of seven new screening aids for important Coleoptera and Lepidoptera pests. These were designed specifically to be used when examining traps or through visual inspection as part of surveys conducted by state cooperators for the APHIS PPQ Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program. CAPS surveys help officials monitor and gather data about pests on high-risk hosts and commodities, including pests that may have been recently introduced to the United States. The new screening aids are for city longhorn beetle, Agrilus of concern, pinecone and bamboo longhorn beetles, tomato fruit borers, coconut rhinoceros beetles, spruce longhorn beetles, and velvet longhorn beetle. All of ITP's CAPS screening aids can be found on the ITP website and on the CAPS Resource and Collaboration site Screening Aids page.

A framework from Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists can help managers decide if, when, and how to use eDNA sampling technology for invasive species monitoring or surveillance.

Citation: Morisette, Jeffrey; Burgiel, Stas; Franklin, Thomas; Wilcox, Taylor. 2022. Shedding light on shedded cells: Using eDNA sampling for surveillance of invasive species. Connected Science. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

The National Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) Information System is an emerging online resource for invasive species information sharing and collaboration that serves as the information hub of the National EDRR Framework. This centralized network will improve access to existing and emerging information resources and expand collaboration to facilitate early detection and rapid response to biological threats across the nation. 
See also: SIREN: National Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) Information System (News Release, Apr 19, 2024)

The spongy moth, (Lymantria dispar), formerly known as the "gypsy moth," continues to spread throughout North America, threatening deciduous trees and impacting humans. This non-native, foliage-feeding insect currently occupies only about one-third of its possible host distribution in the United States. Efforts to reduce its impact and spread represent one of the largest and most successful federal and state agency integrated pest management programs against a forest pest.

This new General Technical Report (GTR), published by the Northern Research Station, synthesizes information about the Slow the Spread Program, its accomplishments, and provides a framework for future landscape-level integrated pest management.
See related resource: National Slow The Spread (STS) Program

Citation: Coleman, Tom W.; Liebhold, Andrew M., eds. 2023. Slow the spread: a 20-year reflection on the national Lymantria dispar integrated pest management program. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-212. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 130 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-212.

The Idaho Department of Agriculture (ISDA) has confirmed the presence of quagga mussel in the Mid-Snake River. Quagga mussel larvae was first detected in the Snake River near Twin Falls on September 18, 2023, by routine monitoring conducted by the ISDA. If nothing were done, quagga mussels would quickly take over waterways. They would irreparably harm water use in Idaho. These findings mark the first time a rapid response plan has been put into action for quagga mussels in Idaho.
 

U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1251; Researched and funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thousands of pigs in China have been dying since August 2018. The cause is a virus that infects a pig’s macrophages, a type of white blood cell that acts as a warrior against disease-causing invaders. This viral disease, called African swine fever, can wreak havoc in a pig’s body causing internal bleeding and resulting in almost 100 percent mortality of the infected pigs. Because African swine fever is highly contagious and deadly to pigs, economies and the food supply are being affected around the world.

African swine fever has been on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) radar for several years. S&T intensified vaccine research efforts in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in November 2018. The African Swine Fever Task Force was born, based out of S&T’s Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC).

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is seeking comments on the draft "Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Strategic Plan." All individuals interested in AIS management in South Dakota have from now through December 31, 2022, to provide suggestions and comments on the revised plan in its current form. The draft AIS strategic plan can be found online at: https://gfp.sd.gov/management-plans/.

See also: Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) Publications for more resources

Published by: North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension; University of Georgia Cooperative Extension; Clemson University Cooperative Extension; Virginia Cooperative Extension; South Carolina Soybean Board.

Inadvertently introduced in the northeastern United States in the 1930s, mile-a-minute weed is a highly aggressive invasive plant that is replacing native species in many areas of the Nation. While a biocontrol agent has been identified, finding and reaching dense patches of mile-a-minute weeds has been a problem for land managers. The solution may be drones carrying environmentally friendly pods packed with tiny weevils.

The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species native to Asia. In 2014 it was found in Pennsylvania, and has since spread to multiple counties which are now quarantined. If you see a spotted lanternfly, it's imperative to immediately report it online or via phone by calling 1-888-4BADFLY. Especially if you are not inside the quarantine zone.

What else? Kill it! Squash it, smash it...just get rid of it. In the fall, these bugs will lay egg masses with 30-50 eggs each. These are called bad bugs for a reason, don't let them take over your county next. In March 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) added 8 additional counties to the Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine, for a total of 34 Pennsylvania counties now in quarantine.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first detection of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma deliculata) in Illinois. Following a report of a live adult on Sept. 16, state, federal, and local officials coordinated a site visit near the area of the report and identified a moderately populated area of spotted lanternfly (SLF) on Sept. 18. Specimens were collected and submitted for identification, and confirmatory results were received on September 26. The spotted lanternfly does not present any human or animal health concerns.

If you see SLF or suspect it, report it to lanternfly@illinois.edu. A fact sheet, including photos, is available through the University of Illinois Extension [PDF, 1.95 MB].

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is the newest invasive species that has found its way to the Bluegrass State.
See also: Spotted Lanternfly: Be on the Lookout for this invasive Species and Report Sightings (invasive pests)

USDA scientists have discovered that the spotted lanternfly, an invasive threat to fruit crops and many trees, may have an Achilles heel – an attraction to vibration. A native of China, the insect was discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to 13 other states. Though beautiful as an adult, the insect is a voracious eater that feeds on woody and ornamental trees as well as a wide variety of crops and plants. Left unchecked, Pennsylvania alone could lose hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

Richard Mankin, an entomologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL, and colleagues found a new way to potentially corral and control the pests. Their research was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.