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The lionfish is a striking yet destructive invasive species that has found its way into the waters of North America, leaving a trail of ecological havoc in its wake. In this blog post, we delve into the alarming impact of lionfish invasion on our local marine environments and the urgent need for concerted action.

Native to Europe, Yellow toadflax and Dalmatian toadflax can typically be found on roadsides, grasslands and in crop fields. Like many other weeds, toadflaxes have been introduced to North America as decorative plants but they are now having adverse effects. Whilst these weeds may look pretty and provide decorative appeal, they soon escape cultivation and can cause some serious problems. As part of a new CABI Podcast series, CABI experts Dr Hariet Hinz and Dr Ivan Toševski were interviewed from CABI in Switzerland, who explained to us what measures they are taking to control the spread of toadflax.

Members of the $689-billion outdoor recreation industry have established a blue-ribbon commission to stop and reverse the spread of aquatic invasive species in the U.S. The commission will bring together leading biologists, environmentalists, policymakers, and resource managers to assess existing mitigation efforts and identify more effective eradication solutions. Findings from the analysis will be presented to Congress and the administration in 2023, with a goal of passing comprehensive legislation to better manage and eliminate aquatic invasive species.

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.

Bees and other pollinators, including birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and small mammals, play a critical role in our food production system. A healthy pollinator population is vital to producing marketable commodities. More than 100 U.S. grown crops rely on pollinators. The added revenue to crop production from pollinators is valued at $18 billion. Pollinators also support healthy ecosystems needed for clean air, stable soils, and a diverse wildlife. That’s why USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) partners with the Land-Grant University System, U.S. government laboratories, and private and non-profit organizations to support research, education, and extension programs advancing pollinator health.

A big way invasive pests can move from one location to another is through unregulated internet sales. We are seeing more and more of these sales, and it’s a real concern. Why? With normal commercial or retail sales, we can use techniques like quarantines and fumigation to make sure that purchased items are pest-free or don’t enter pest-free areas. But many times, sales on the internet do not follow these techniques, opening up the chance for invasive pests to move freely to new areas. APHIS' Smuggling, Interdiction and Trade Compliance Office looks for these types of sale offers online and stops them.

Russian knapweed (Rhaponticum repens) is a nonnative weed in the western United States. It was introduced in the late 1800’s and is now invading and degrading cropland, rangeland, riparian areas, and roadsides. This deep-rooted perennial is persistent and difficult and expensive to control by conventional means, is toxic to horses and outcompetes native vegetation by producing chemicals that inhibit plant growth. Russian knapweed is listed by the State of Colorado as a noxious weed, to be suppressed, contained, or locally extirpated.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) offers biocontrol agents to help suppress weeds and insect pests. When two gall-forming agents were developed and tested by CABI, and became available for use against Russian knapweed, the CDA was prepared to use them against the more than 50,000 hectares of the weed that currently infests Colorado.

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.

If you are moving this year from a location within the gypsy moth quarantine area to a location outside the quarantine area, please inspect outdoor household items for pests. This is a federal requirement for homeowners moving from gypsy moth quarantine areas.

By complying with the law, you may also save a forest. Gypsy moths are destructive, invasive pests! European gypsy moth larvae feed on over 300 plant species including oak, aspen and elm. Gypsy moths have defoliated more than 83 million acres in the United States since 1970. About 70% of susceptible forests have never been infested and are at risk.

From the series Invasive Species in South Florida.
See also: So What’s in a Burmese Python Anyway?

Over recent decades, globalization has led to an increase in the international flow of people and goods, bringing people together but also bringing together species that have never coexisted before. Species that are introduced and successfully colonize areas outside their natural ranges are considered ‘invasive’ and can have devastating impacts on species native to the region. Invasive species can cause the decline or extinction of native species, outcompeting them for food, water and space, preying upon them or introducing them to new diseases.

See also: Fact Sheet: Preparing for and Responding to the Zika Virus at Home and Abroad (Feb 8, 2016)

The environmental tolerances and potential range of the tomato pest Tuta absoluta in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and Australia may have been underestimated according to new research co-authored by CABI scientists. All results from the scientists' research suggests with the greatest certainty that T. absoluta (also known as Phthorimaea absoluta or tomato leafminer) has further to spread globally, particularly in southern and East Asia, Australia and Central America.

Maryland’s eastern shore has seen thousands of acres of protective marshland impacted by the nutria's destructive feeding habits. To protect the valuable resources of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, The Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project (CBNEP) began in 2002 to permanently remove invasive nutria from the marshes of the Delmarva Peninsula and to protect, enhance, and restore the aquatic and river ecosystems they damaged.

The use of native plant material in conservation, restoration and land management results in healthy ecosystems countering the effects of invasive plant species, altered wildfire regimes, extreme weather events and human-caused events. The National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration 2015-2020 promotes the use of native plant materials to restore plant communities and support healthy ecosystems.
See related resource: National Seed Strategy