Tag

Invasive Species

All articles tagged with #invasive species

science22 days ago•11 min saved

From Backyard Escape to Century-Long Forest Pest

An 1869 backyard silkworm breeding experiment by Étienne Trouvelot led to a wind-dispersed escape of gypsy moth caterpillars. By 1889 a 360-square-mile outbreak near Medford, Massachusetts revealed how a slow-burn invasion can take decades to bloom, eventually spreading across North America to strip millions of acres in bad years and cost roughly $868 million annually in damages. The moth’s spread was aided by few natural predators and wind-assisted dispersal, with a fungal pathogen arriving in 1989 helping curb some outbreaks. Even after more than a century, containment remains a costly, ongoing effort, illustrating how a small careless moment can trigger a long tail of ecological impact.

via Space Daily|

#defoliation #forest-health #gypsy-moth

science24 days ago•14 min saved

CO2-Soaked Lake Mats Trigger Rapid Zebra Mussel Die-Off in Michigan

Michigan scientists tested heavy lakebed mats with carbon dioxide pumped beneath them in Loon Lake. After five days, over 80% of caged zebra mussels died under the CO2 mats (versus about 20% under ordinary mats and 13% in untreated plots), with CO2 concentrations near 200 mg/L and sustained low pH. The approach may selectively target zebra mussels—native unionid mussels showed greater tolerance—but it also reduced overall benthic invertebrate numbers and could disrupt habitat. While promising for a faster, reusable control, researchers caution that refinement and broader testing are needed before widescale deployment.

via The Times of India|

#benthic-mats #carbon-dioxide #freshwater-ecology

science29 days ago•3 min saved

New Mosquito Species Detected in Arizona Could Reach New Mexico

UF researchers confirmed the first U.S. sighting of Aedes amateuri in Arizona's Madrean Sky Islands (Santa Rita and Dragoon Mountains) and possibly near the New Mexico border; the species can bite humans but is not currently known to spread diseases. The discovery underscores ongoing surveillance for invasive mosquitoes as climate change and global connectivity raise detections, even as public-health risk remains uncertain.

via Gizmodo|

#aedes-amateuri #arizona #invasive-species

environment1 month ago•6 min saved

Asia-born yellow-legged hornets ignite high-stakes battle to defend South Carolina bees

An invasion of Asia-origin yellow-legged hornets in South Carolina’s Lowcountry is decimating honeybee colonies and prompting a Clemson-led response to erase nests, kill queens with 'Georgia juice' bait, and deploy climbers and exterminators. The effort has destroyed hundreds of nests since 2024, but eradication is costly and dangerous, and spread to nearby regions remains a concern as public reports guide the work.

via South Carolina Public Radio|

#environment #honeybees #invasive-species

science1 month ago•11 min saved

GPS-collared Opossums Help Florida Track Burmese Pythons

Researchers in Florida collar native opossums to use them as bait against Burmese pythons; if a python swallows a collar, the transmitter inside continues pinging, guiding researchers to the snake for removal. Cost cuts from about $1,500 to roughly $190 have enabled scaling, and by 2026 the team had 32 possums collared and removed 18 large pythons (some swallowing two collars), while also employing drones, dogs, and other tools. The approach raises ethical questions about using native wildlife as bait, but it is increasingly used as part of a broader effort to curb the invasive predator in the Everglades.

via Space Daily|

#burmese-python #florida-everglades #gps-collars

health1 month ago•1 min saved

First Breeding of Invasive Aedes Mosquito Detected in London Triggers Targeted Control

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the first breeding of invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in east London, prompting actions to destroy larvae and boost surveillance; public risk remains low with no human infections detected, though warming climate could allow more occasional occurrences.

via BBC|

#aedes-aegypti #health #invasive-species

science1 month ago•56 min saved

Milkweed Emerges as a Potential Ally Against Spotted Lanternflies

Preliminary experiments suggest milkweed may kill spotted lanternflies, with mortality varying by life stage and milkweed species and reaching up to 90% within 24 hours in some cases. While not a silver bullet, planting native milkweed could help manage the invasive pest by promoting predators and supporting pollinators like monarchs, offering a dual ecological benefit.

via yahoo.com|

#invasive-species #milkweed #monarch-butterflies

environment1 month ago•3 min saved

Italy Deploys 130,000 Baby Octopuses to Battle Invasive Blue Crabs

Italy has released 130,000 baby octopuses along the Adriatic coast as part of the Octo-Blu project to curb an invasive blue crab population that has damaged clam production and fishermen’s livelihoods; scientists say mature octopuses could eat several crabs a day, and authorities hope this predator deployment will help save the fishing sector, which faces about €200 million in damages as the crabs continue to spread into markets and menus.

via New York Post|

#crabs #environment #fishing

science1 month ago•14 min saved

Budget-friendly grass carp wipe hydrilla from Florida's Lake Baldwin

Florida wildlife managers used sterile triploid grass carp to cut hydrilla cover on Lake Baldwin from about 95% to under 1%, at a recorded cost of $8,499 (roughly $43 per acre). The approach—rapid, plant-eating carp—offers an affordable alternative to herbicides or mechanical removal, but carries trade-offs like potential loss of submerged vegetation and shifts in native fish communities; containment and permits are required, and Lake Baldwin is cited as a reference case for how far the method can work when properly managed.

via The Times of India|

#florida #grass-carp #hydrilla

health-and-wellness1 month ago•3 min saved

Daylight-Active Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Surge Across Chicago Suburbs

Chicago-area mosquito districts report higher populations of the invasive Asian tiger mosquito, which is active in daylight and can take multiple blood meals, making residents feel more bites this summer. Researchers say it’s now the third-most common species in traps around the north suburbs, partly due to warm, damp conditions that boost breeding near homes. The species can transmit diseases like West Nile, so residents should eliminate standing water and use bug spray to protect themselves outdoors.

via NBC 5 Chicago|

#asian-tiger-mosquito #chicago #health-and-wellness

science1 month ago•14 min saved

Raccoons in Germany: debunking Nazi-origin myths and tracing an urban invasion

New research shows that Germany’s raccoons were released in 1934 for wildlife enrichment, not personally by Hermann Göring, and later DNA analysis reveals additional releases creating distinct gene pools; today about two million raccoons span Germany and parts of Europe, fueling debate over their ecological impact while scientists say evidence of major harm to native species is inconclusive and managers pursue options from hunting to sterilisation to coexistence.

via BBC|

#ecology #germany #invasive-species

world1 month ago•214 min saved

Tiny beetle, massive bill: the global invasion jeopardizing forests and economies

Scientists warn that the polyphagous shot-hole borer, a tiny beetle native to Southeast Asia, is spreading across every continent except Antarctica and carries a fungus that causes fusarium dieback, killing trees and threatening habitats. In South Africa it has already invaded most provinces, and economists estimate potential costs around 275 billion rand (about $18.5 billion) over the next decade due to tree removals and related damage. Eradication is unlikely, so containment relies on public prevention, costly removals, and exploration of biological controls, with climate change potentially accelerating future spread.

via CNN|

#economy #forestry #fusarium-dieback

science1 month ago•1 min saved

Unexpected catch: 8-year-old reels in a piranha in a Pennsylvania lake

An eight-year-old boy fishing near Philadelphia pulled in a red-bellied piranha, which the boy correctly identified after watching YouTube and which state biologists later confirmed; officials say it likely came from an exotic-pet release, warning such releases threaten local wildlife, and the family disposed of the fish humanely.

via The Guardian|

#exotic-pet #invasive-species #pennsylvania

science2 months ago•1 min saved

Europe’s 6,000-km Ant Megapolis: The World’s Largest Invasive Supercolony

The Argentine ant Linepithema humile forms vast, interconnected supercolonies that stretch along 6,000 km of Europe’s coast (Portugal to Italy), housing millions of nests and billions of workers, with urban-like features such as ventilation, food storage, nurseries, toilets and highways, illustrating how an invasive species can organize into a city-scale ecosystem.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#ants #ecology #invasive-species

science2 months ago•48 min saved

Giant East Asian hornet poses bee threats with credit-card wingspan

Scientists in the United States and Canada are monitoring sightings of Vespa mandarinia, the large East Asian hornet nicknamed the “murder hornet,” after nests were found and destroyed in the Pacific Northwest. The wasp can reach about 1.6 inches in length with a wingspan of roughly 2.8 inches (about a credit card’s width) and a 6 mm stinger, and its powerful jaws can slice through honeybees. If established, it could seriously threaten pollinator populations, ecosystems, and crop yields. Officials urge not to disturb nests, to report sightings, and to support pollinator-friendly practices to help protect bees.

via Yahoo|

#east-asian-giant-hornet #honeybees #invasive-species