invasive species – Syndication Server

Yellowstone reveals plan to halt spread of invasive brook trout

The recent discovery of brook trout in a popular Yellowstone National Park creek has biologists hustling to remove the nonnative species.

The trout were found in Soda Butte Creek, a popular fly-fishing destination in the northeastern portion of the park.

Brook trout are invasive and threaten native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. If left unchecked, brook trout could spread from Soda Butte Creek throughout the Lamar River watershed.

The park, in coordination with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Custer Gallatin National Forest, will close a 9.6-mile stretch of Soda Butte Creek to the public Aug. 14-18.

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During this period, biologists will kill brook trout with EPA-approved rotenone treatments.

Beforehand, during the week of Aug. 7, biologists will capture Yellowstone cutthroat trout via electroshocking. They’ll be kept alive in upper tributaries away from the treatment area.

A similar treatment program was successful in removing brook trout from Soda Butte Creek after they were discovered in 2015.

Cutthroat trout are the only trout native to Yellowstone National Park. They’re prized by anglers and play an important ecological role throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

–Brook trout image is generic

How to identify and remove a tree of heaven

Say goodbye to this invasive plant.

People who are unfamiliar with the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) may think this plant sounds perfectly pleasant. However, as The Nature Conservancy explains, “Though its name makes it sound divine, the invasive tree of heaven is no angel.” Here’s what you should know about this invasive species.

Native to parts of China and Taiwan, this deciduous tree came to the United States in the late 1700s. While people initially favored the tree of heaven as “a unique, fast-growing ornamental shade tree,” the plant grew unpopular in the 1900s. Since then, it has become an invasive nuisance in many parts of the country. Find out if your yard is harboring this plant and learn how to get rid of it with these tree of heaven identification and removal tips.

Watch out for these 6 invasive species running wild in the US

Out-of-control animals and plants.

Invasive species develop when certain animals and plants run wild in an unfit environment. Here’s what you should know about the troublesome species currently causing issues throughout the United States.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health.”

Infamous examples of invasive species in the U.S. include kudzu vines sprawling across the South and starlings spreading disease. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in particular have been plaguing several national parks for years.

Learn more about invasive species in the U.S. with this guide to six of the country’s most problematic animals and plants. And if you’re feeling inspired to combat the spread of invasive species, check out these tips from The Nature Conservancy.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Both predatory and invasive, the lionfish has disrupted marine ecosystems in the Atlantic. The USGS claims that the species was likely introduced through the pet trade.

A striped lionfish underwater. — *Photo by Kevin Gessner*

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Native to landscapes in Europe and Asia, this purple perennial is a nuisance for states in the Pacific Northwest and New England.

A field of purple flowers. — *Photo by Liz West*

Rock pigeon (Columba livia)

National parks are not fans of this avian critter. According to the National Park Service, these birds harm infrastructure with their droppings and can spread diseases to native birds.

A rock dove on a bench. — *Photo by Allan Hack*

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)

Ever been told to only buy and burn local firewood at a campsite? These beetles might be the reason. Emerald ash borers have destroyed many ash trees across the country.

A green beetle on a leaf. — *Photo by Katja Schulz*

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

The spotted lanternfly is native to China and feeds on various fruit trees. This species produces a sticky fluid that can cause mold to form on host plants.

Two yellow posters with lanternfly images and warnings about the species. — *Photo by F Delventhal*

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)

What makes kudzu such a problem? The main issue with this plant is its fast-growing nature and ability to kill trees and other native plants by blocking out sunlight.

A small house with a red roof covered in kudzu — *Photo by Natalie Maynor*

What are those stinky spring trees, and why are they everywhere?

Spring’s least popular plant.

In a season full of gorgeous blooms, a tree full of bright white blossoms should be another pleasant sign of spring. Instead, for many regions throughout the United States, white-flowered trees signal an oncoming wave of seasonal stink. What are these stinky trees, and why are they everywhere? This invasive species is known as the Bradford or Callery pear tree, and its problems go beyond smelling bad.

Callery pear trees are found in most U.S. states. According to this map created by the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, states from New York to California contend with this pesky pear tree.

How did these foul-smelling trees become so widespread? As UGA professor of horticulture Mike Dirr told NPR, the species once seemed like the perfect plant. About 30 years ago, people across the U.S. began planting Callery pear trees for agricultural and landscaping use.

“We thought, ‘Gee, this is a panacea,'” Dirr said. “You can stick it into any planting space in an urban situation, in concrete-heavy soils, clay soils, limestoney soils, acid soils, and it’s gonna grow.”

But the Callery pear’s downsides soon revealed themselves. In addition to growing flowers with a scent reminiscent of rotting garbage or fish, the tree spread aggressively and cross-pollinated with other species to produce fruits and thorns that littered yards and sidewalks.

A green-tinged Bradford or Callery pear tree blooming on a grassy street corner. — *Photo by F. D. Richards*

Today, many states consider this tree an invasive species. Some communities have even offered locals rewards for cutting down Callery pear trees. In South Carolina, Clemson University and the S.C. Forestry Commission launched the “Bradford Pear Bounty” program. The project encourages property owners to uproot up to five of their Bradford pear trees in exchange for free native replacement trees. Similar initiatives are available in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Missouri.

If a Bradford or Callery pear tree is stinking up your yard, look into local invasive plant removal programs for help getting rid of the nuisance. Regional experts can also suggest native plants to replace those problematic pear trees.

Anglers praised for removing massive carp from Oklahoma lake

An Oklahoma charter-fishing business was lauded by the state this week for snagging and removing a “massive” bighead carp from Grand Lake.

An Oklahoma charter-fishing business was lauded by the state this week for snagging and removing an enormous bighead carp from Grand Lake.

“Shout out to High Water Guide Service for reeling in this massive 63.7-pound male bighead carp!” the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation exclaimed Wednesday on Facebook. “They’ve gotten us a few now and we simply can’t appreciate it enough. Bighead carp captured out of this system will be used for ongoing research on this population.”

ALSO: Yellowstone wolf flees rival pack in ‘epic’ downhill chase

Bighead carp, native to southern and central China, are highly invasive and threaten native species in U.S. lakes and rivers in which they’ve established a presence.

Bighead carp were brought to the United States by an Arkansas farmer in 1973 to improve water quality and increase fish production in aquaculture ponds. But they began to spread into public waters in the early 1980s.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they are” currently spread throughout the Mississippi River, Missouri River and Ohio River systems within or along the border of 23 states.”

The ODWC pleaded with anglers, “If you find a bighead carp in the Grand Lake system, DO NOT RETURN IT BACK INTO THE WATER and REPORT IT [to the agency].”

High Water Guide Service, which specializes in paddlefish expeditions, on Wednesday posted video footage showing the carp alongside the boat and being muscled over the rail.

“What a blast to be able to land this fish,” the company exclaimed on Facebook. “The best way to describe this fish is its like a giant shad. They are disgusting, but a hell of a fight!”

Bighead carp are targeted by anglers around the world. The all-tackle world record is the 2005 catch of a 90-pound bighead carp at Guntersville Lake in Tennessee.

Watch: Florida motorist encounters giant python crossing road

A Florida weatherman has shared footage of a massive python slithering across a highway, generating an array of responses.

A Florida weatherman has shared footage of an enormous Burmese python slithering across a highway, generating an array of responses.

“MASSIVE FLORIDA SNAKE!” WINK meteorologist Matt Devitt wrote on Facebook. “Check out the size of this 15+ foot python crossing the road recently in Everglades National Park. Nope!”

The soundless footage, captured by Kym Clark, shows the snake nearly spanning the width of the road before finding refuge in the wetlands.

Florida is home to thousands of invasive pythons, unfortunately, but it’s rare to encounter a snake this large in broad daylight.

ALSO: Yellowstone elk has perfect response to taunts from a tourist

Devitt’s post generated nearly 3,000 comments, including these top observations:

–“Really sad that people released these snakes after they got too big to be a pet. To begin with, they aren’t native to North America and should never have been brought here. Now they have multiplied and are killing FL deer, panthers… whatever they can and threatening those populations.”

–“We’re overrun with them in the Everglades. I think you have to have a license to catch them. They’re eating the natural habitat animals, even alligators.”

–“Had I seen it I would have run it over until it was dead. I hate snakes even though I know in my head that there is a real purpose for them I don’t like them.”

The most popular comment, however, was this: “The worst snake I’ve ever dealt with was human.”

Many were sympathetic, typing responses such as “No truer words spoken” and “You got that right.”

Pythons are literally feasting on native wildlife and Florida has launched several programs intended to remove the reptiles and slow their spread in and beyond the Everglades ecosystem.

Last June biologists captured what they said was the heaviest python they’ve encountered. The pregnant snake – containing 122 eggs – weighed 215 pounds and measured 18 feet.

She had consumed what was believed to be an entire white-tailed deer as her last meal.

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Find the beauty in kudzu, the South’s most infamous plant

Can kudzu be beautiful?

People call kudzu the vine that ate the South. Native to China and Japan, the vine embarked on its infamous, invasive journey when it was introduced to the United States in the 1800s. Radio hosts spread wild claims about the plant, calling it a “miracle vine” for the South. Once welcomed into hot, humid southern habitats, kudzu took on a life of its own. To this day, the vine can be found covering everything from trees to telephone poles.

As an invasive plant, kudzu presents issues for the environment. The plant’s rapid growth hides the South’s natural landscapes and can lead to a loss of biodiversity. Additionally, as naturalist Bill Finch wrote for Smithsonian Magazine, kudzu’s infamy “veils more serious threats to the countryside, like suburban sprawl, or more destructive invasive plants such as the dense and aggressive cogon grass and the shrubby privet.”

All factors considered, kudzu earns its bad reputation. Still, this troublesome vine holds a special place in many Southerners’ hearts. With creeping green tendrils and leaves that soften the edges of any form it grows around, kudzu lends its environment a strange, surreal look. Before the South finds a way to banish this invasive plant for good, take a minute to appreciate the unique landscapes touched by kudzu.

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