Invasive Species - What's New on NISIC's Site

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), which affects all species of beech trees, was identified in 35 counties in New York State to date. DEC began tracking BLD in 2018 after it was confirmed in Chautauqua County. Fourteen of the counties with BLD were confirmed in 2022, and more are likely to be identified. At this time there are no specific recommendations for managing trees that are infected with BLD, however, DEC encourages the public to report potential BLD infections using iMapInvasives to help track the disease while research is ongoing. Learn more about Beech Leaf Disease. For questions about potential tree pests or pathogens, email photos and a description to foresthealth@dec.ny.gov.

Agricultural Research Service research entomologist Matt Buffington is part of a new exhibit "Our Places: Connecting People and Nature" at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington DC. The exhibit explores how peoples' experiences with nature inspire them as well as offering visitors a chance to learn about how dedicated scientists and community members work to protect the environment.

Among the objects in "Our Places," is part of the actual Asian giant hornet "Nest Zero," the first place these huge hornets set up housekeeping when they arrived in Washington State from Asia in October 2019. Asian giant hornets are a concern because sometimes they can feed on honey bees, buzzsawing through a colony in minutes, and they deliver extremely painful stings to people, but fortunately only if provoked. To quell their spread, Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), both part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, worked to locate and remove the invasive hornets' nest.

South Carolina public health and livestock officials have recently identified a large population of Asian longhorned ticks infesting a pasture at a cattle farm in York County. This invasive species of tick is not commonly found in the United States, and bites from these ticks have caused illnesses in people, animals and livestock in other countries. As of June 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports Asian longhorned ticks were first identified in the United States in 2010 and have since been found in 17 states. In South Carolina, a small number of these ticks were identified in 2020 on shelter dogs in Lancaster and Pickens counties.

To help state officials learn more about the prevalence of Asian longhorned ticks in South Carolina, residents are asked to carefully submit ticks suspected to be Asian longhorned ticks for confirmatory identification. This surveillance will help determine tick species presence, distribution, seasonality, and potential tick-borne disease risks.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has confirmed the first established presence of the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in the state. Initial surveys indicate the known distribution of the pest is within a 5-mile radius in Forsyth County near Interstate 40 in Kernersville extending to the Guilford County line.

Early detection and rapid response are critical in the control of spotted lanternfly and the Plant Industry Division has been preparing to provide the most effective response to slow the spread of this invasive pest in the state. If you see or suspect spotted lanternfly in North Carolina submit a picture through the Spotted Lanternfly Reporting Tool.

The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development recently confirmed the presence of invasive beech leaf disease in a small, private woodlot in southern St. Clair County. Beech leaf disease, not previously known to be in Michigan, is associated with the microscopic worm Litylenchus crenatae, a nematode that enters and spends the winter in leaf buds, causing damage to leaf tissue on American, European and Asian beech species. Trees weakened by leaf damage become susceptible to other diseases and can die within six to 10 years after initial symptoms.

DNR and MDARD encourage monitoring for any signs of the disease. If you suspect you have found a symptomatic tree, take one or more photos of the infested tree, including close-ups of affected leaves; note the location, date and time; and report it in one of the following ways:

• DNR Forest Health Division: Email DNR-FRD-Forest-Health@Michigan.gov or call 517-284-5895.
• Use the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) online reporting tool.
• Download the MISIN smartphone app and report from your phone.

Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Month (July) is an opportunity for Michigan’s government to join forces with businesses, industries, environmental groups, community organizations, residents, and other Great Lakes states and provinces to raise awareness and take action against the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species.

Invasive non-native insects have been called the "wildfires of the East," given the damage they cause to trees. One pest, the emerald ash borer, has killed hundreds of millions of rural and urban ash trees. To help arborists and city planners track and treat potential outbreaks, U.S. Forest Service scientists seek efficient monitoring techniques.

Governor Ron DeSantis had announced that registration for the 2022 Florida Python Challenge opened and the annual 10-day event was scheduled August 5-14, 2022. Members of the public were able to take the required online training and register to compete to win thousands of dollars in prizes while removing invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. The competition is open to both professional and novice participants.

Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register for the competition, take the online training, register for optional in-person trainings, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to South Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge.

Scientists from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) are reporting that Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) has increased dramatically in both severity and distribution in 2022 compared to 2021. First detected in lower Fairfield County in 2019, BLD is now widespread on American beech (Fagus grandifolia) throughout all eight Connecticut counties, with symptoms most severe in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties. Given that BLD is now widely established throughout Connecticut, reports of BLD to CAES and DEEP are no longer requested.

A European aphid that is only known to eat invasive garlic mustard has recently been found in the Midwest. If you see garlic mustard with curled leaves or aphids, help researchers studying this insect by sending in a report. Because the aphids may help control invasive garlic mustard plants, they are working with citizen scientists to map their distribution.