Fruit DNA in Invasive Flies’ Guts Could Help Track Their Dispersal
A recent study at North Carolina State University shows that DNA analysis of spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) flies can detect whether they fed on strawberries as much as seven days prior. Researchers hope the proof of concept will lead to more accurate analysis of the invasive pest's dispersal in the field.
Invasive Tick Persists in New Jersey
Officials in New Jersey report that the invasive tick Haemaphysalis longicornis has successfully overwintered and was found once again on a rural property in mid-April 2018, after an infestation was reported there in 2017, the first such appearance of the species within North American borders.
Study Shines a (Fluorescent) Light on Invasive Fruit Fly Trapping
To estimate the catch rate of traps for invasive spotted-wing drosophila fruit flies in tart cherry orchards, researchers at Michigan State University first marked thousands of flies with fluorescent dust and released them. Then they counted the recaptured flies under ultraviolet light.
Invasive Fly Targets North American Onions, Leeks, Related Crops
The allium leafminer damages crops such as onions, garlic, shallots, and leeks through larval feeding and adult egg-laying in plant tissue. Native to Europe, the invasive species was first discovered in North America in December 2015 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Spotted Lanternfly: States Urge Citizens to Report Sightings of Invasive Insect Hitchhiker
First encountered in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly had spread to New York, Delaware, and Virginia by early 2018. The invasive insect threatens Tree of Heaven as well as grapes, hops, and fruit trees, and it has a penchant for hitchhiking. Anyone sighting spotted lanternfly is urged to report it to their state agriculture department or local extension office.
Flower Pots in Southwestern U.S. a Common Breeding Site for Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
The Aedes aegypti mosquito typically prefers humid climates, but it has gained a foothold in the arid southwestern U.S. by using manmade containers for breeding sites—in particular, flower pots and the saucers underneath them.
Native to Asia, Found in New Jersey: The Curious Case of an Invasive Tick
In 2017, specimens of an "unusual-looking" tick were discovered in New Jersey and determined to be a species, Haemaphysalis longicornis, native to Asia. No established population of the species has ever been previously documented in the United States.
Domestic Sea Trade Aids Wood-Boring Beetles’ Range Expansion
A study by entomologists in Italy found that the abundance of bark- and wood-boring beetles outside their native range but still within the same country is correlated with levels of trade at nearby sea ports, suggesting domestic sea transportation plays a role in insects' intra-country range expansion.
After Emerald Ash Borer, Invertebrates on the Ground Get to Work
What happens in the forest after Emerald Ash Borers kill a tree?
Little Yellow Ant is Next Invasive to Arrive in Florida
The little yellow ant is a tropical species, native to Madagascar, but now it's been found in Florida.
How Salt, a Coffee Filter, and a Microscope Could Aid in Managing Spotted-Wing Drosophila
By Andrew Porterfield The red-eyed, spotted fly first appeared in the United States in strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry crops in Santa Cruz County, California, in 2008. Then the Southeast Asian […]
Forest Pest Invasions Can—And Should—Be Studied Before They Happen
What can we learn about ambrosia beetles in their native host ranges?
Olive Tree is Second Non-Ash Species Found Vulnerable to Emerald Ash Borer
Last fall, researchers at Wright State University announced they had found that emerald ash borer can develop from larvae to adulthood on a species of olive tree. Today, that study […]
Well-Fed, Older Asian Longhorned Beetles Fly Farther, May Require New Quarantine Zones
By Andrew Porterfield The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) has been an invasive pest in North America since 1996, when it arrived from China and Korea, probably through infested wood-packing […]
A Termite-Control Twofer: How Baiting One Colony of Formosan Subterranean Termites Can Knock Out the Colony Next Door
By John P. Roche Termites pose huge economic costs because they consume wood in buildings. Worldwide, termite control and termite damage cost $40 billion annually. The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes […]
Invasive Insect Species: A Round-Up of Tools and Resources
For National Invasive Species Awareness Week, we've collected some helpful resources.