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The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division confirmed someone found a northern snakehead in early October in a pond on private property in Gwinnett County, marking the first time the invasive fish has been found in the state. Fishermen who find a northern snakehead should take pictures, note where it was caught and then report it.

Asian giant hornet is the world's largest species of hornet. In December 2019, WSDA received and verified four reports of Asian giant hornet near Blaine and Bellingham. These are the first-ever sighting in the U.S. Canada had also discovered Asian giant hornet in two locations in British Columbia in the fall of 2019. If it becomes established, this hornet will have serious negative impacts on the environment, economy, and public health of Washington State. If you think you may have spotted an Asian giant hornet, report it to WSDA's Pest Program and, if possible, include a photo.
See also: Learn more about Asian giant hornets and WSDA’s program to eradicate them.

Three Asian Hornets (Vespa mandarinia) were found in the Nanaimo area on Vancouver Island in mid-August. The identification has been confirmed by Canadian and international experts. This is the first time this insect has been found in British Columbia. Please report suspected Asian giant hornet sightings to the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia.
See also: Invasive Insects and Spiders for related information

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a single adult spotted lanternfly has been found on a trap in the northeast corner of Cecil County near the border of Pennsylvania and Delaware. This is the first confirmed sighting of the invasive species in Maryland, and the department does not believe there is an established population of the pest in the state. If you suspect you have found a spotted lantern fly egg mass, nymph, or adult, snap a picture of it, collect it, put it in a plastic bag, freeze it, and report it to the Maryland Department of Agriculture at DontBug.MD@maryland.gov.

The National CAPS Committee will revise the National Pest Surveillance Guidelines when annually reviewing the policy, strategy, and performance of the CAPS program. The NCC also will approve annually a “Priority Pest List.” This list will include the Commodity and Taxonomic Survey Pests, as well as Pests of Economic and Environmental Importance (OPEP Prioritized List). The Priority Pest List will be based on input by PPQ, the States, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST), National Identification Services (NIS), and commodity organizations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of the box tree moth (BTM) near the border of Hamilton and Clermont counties.

A local resident submitted a photo of the insect to the USDA earlier this month, resulting in trapping in the area. Two specimens captured were identified as the BTM.

Every five years, Congress develops and passes a Farm Bill that outlines agriculture and food policy for the country. In the Farm Bill, Congress can create new programs and reform existing ones. In recent Farm Bills, Congress has created new USDA, APHIS programs that benefit the nation’s farmers and ranchers. Programs include those related to animal health, feral swine, pests and diseases of concern, and plant health.

Section 12203(b) of the 2018 Farm Bill required APHIS to develop a list of pests and diseases that pose the most significant threat to U.S. agriculture. 
See related resource: Animal and Plant Diseases and Pests of Concern

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced, in coordination with USDA and the University of Georgia, confirmation of the detection of a living yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) in Savannah, Georgia. This is the first detection of a live yellow-legged hornet in the open U.S., which was confirmed on Aug 9, 2023. GDA is asking the public to report any sightings of the yellow-legged hornet, a non-native hornet species, that, if allowed to establish in Georgia, could potentially threaten honey production, native pollinators, and our state’s number one industry - agriculture. See more information about the yellow-legged hornet, including how to report sightings.

The yellow-legged hornet was first detected in the U.S. when a beekeeper close to Savannah, GA, found an unusual hornet on his property and reported it to the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA). On August 9, 2023, APHIS confirmed the University of Georgia’s identification of this insect as a yellow-legged hornet. Learn more about yellow-legged hornet lookalikes and how to report potential sightings of this new species.

Wildlife officials are warning Georgia boat owners to be on the lookout for an invasive species that could cause millions of dollars in damages throughout the state. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources says zebra mussels, an eastern European species that is considered invasive, were found on a boat taken to Lake Lanier after being used on the Tennessee River near Chattanooga.

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Multiple federal, state and local agencies have been notified of an invasive algae species discovered in Newport Bay, California in March 2021. The algae, which is native to Florida and other subtropical and tropical locales, is scientifically known as Caulerpa prolifera. It can grow quickly, choking out native seaweeds and potentially harming marine life through lost habitat.

A similar species of invasive algae, Caulerpa taxifolia, was identified in California in 2000 and was successfully eradicated through a comprehensive joint local, state and federal effort in 2006. Due to the similarity between these two species, scientists believe this algae species may pose a serious threat to our local coastal ecosystems.

However, it is imperative that the public avoid contact with the plant due to its extreme ease of recolonizing from just tiny fragments. If you believe you have seen this invasive algae, please complete a sighting report. Please do not collect a specimen, as this may lead to further spread.

PestLens is APHIS-PPQ's phytosanitary early-warning system that collects and distributes new information on exotic plant pests and provides a web-based platform for documenting safeguarding decisions and resulting actions. A weekly e-mail notification is sent to PestLens subscribers.
Note: While PestLens was developed for PPQ, its audience now extends beyond PPQ to a wide range of international plant protection officials.

The Joro spider, native from Japan, first arrived stateside around 2013 and has since spread across the state and Southeast. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests the invasive arachnids could spread through most of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. Joros don't appear to have much of an effect on local food webs or ecosystems, said Andy Davis, corresponding author of the study and a research scientist in the Odum School of Ecology. They may even serve as an additional food source for native predators like birds.
See also: Like it or not, Joro spiders are here to stay (News - Oct 26, 2020)

Idaho watercraft inspectors have identified zebra mussels on a commercially hauled sailboat destined for Lake Coeur d’Alene in the state’s northern panhandle, marking the first time the invasive species has been found live this year.

ESA was pleased to welcome an esteemed panel to discuss a short history of policy and responses to previous invasive species on May 21st. The speakers discussed pathogens and how ecological research can inform policy and contribute knowledge to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.

Update: Invasive Zebra Mussels Found in Pets Stores in 21 States (Mar 8, 2021; U.S. Geological Survey Press Release). Agencies, industry in coordinated response to help stores and consumers find and destroy troublesome shellfish.

The Pet Advocacy Network (formerly PIJAC - Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) wishes to inform you of an important invasive species threat that was recently discovered in the U.S. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), which are regarded as one of the most troublesome invasive species in North America, have been discovered within a variety of moss ball products designed for aquarium use, including products being sold and used in aquariums in stores in multiple states, including Oregon, Washington and Florida.

Specifically identified in a report from the U.S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, a release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, PIJAC urges you to take immediate action to inspect your fish tanks and take action as necessary. For more information on how to dispose of recently-purchased moss balls, see Zebra Mussel Disposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Invasive zebra mussels have been found in "moss balls” an aquarium plant product sold at aquarium and pet supply stores.  Zebra mussels are regarded as one of the most destructive invasive species in North America. Learn more about the situation, rapid response efforts by federal and state agencies, and how to properly destroy the moss balls to prevent the spread of zebra mussels.

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.
 

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and the Georgia Department of Agriculture announced the discovery and eradication of three additional Yellow-legged hornets’ nests in the area near Savannah, Ga. In addition to these new eradications, the Department is announcing a new, biweekly newsletter, the Yellow-Legged Ledger, to provide the public with important updates on our efforts to prevent the establishment of this invasive pest.