Invasive Species in NYS: Who They Are, Why They’re Here, and What YOU Can Do About Them
An invasive species is a species of wildlife or plant life that has taken up residence somewhere other than its native habitat, usually by way of unnatural human intervention. Invasive species can cause serious damage. With no natural predators, their population explodes, often disrupting the ecosystem, decimating populations of native species, and costing millions of dollars in mitigation and management efforts.
Check out the information below to discover which species are invading New York State and what you can do to help our native wildlife thrive!
The spotted lanternfly is a planthopper species native to China. The spotted lanternfly feeds on a variety of tree sap and is rapidly becoming one of the most destructive invasive insect species in the USA, including NYS.
What Does It Look Like? Adult spotted lanternflies are typically 1in (25mm) long and .5in (12mm) wide, with females slightly larger than males. Spotted lanternflies have a black head, gray-brown forewings with at least 20 black spots. If at rest, their red hindwings show, too. Their egg masses, which contain 30-50 eggs, look like scales on tree trunks, covered in a yellowish-brown, waxy deposit.
When Did It Arrive? The spotted lanternfly most likely arrived in the US from China on a 2012 stone shipment. In NYS, the spotted lanternfly was first detected in 2020 on Staten Island. The species continues to spread upstate, reaching as far west as Erie County and as far north as Herkimer County.
Where Is It? Spotted lanternflies feed on a variety of tree sap, so they can be found anywhere from hardwood tress to agricultural crops. They have also been known to lay eggs on vehicles, outdoor furniture, and in firewood.
Who Does It Harm? When the spotted lanternfly feeds on the sap of its plant host, the insect inflicts a piercing wound and excretes a waste product called honeydew. Honeydew promotes mold growth, leaving the plant at risk of disease, more insect feedings, and an inability to perform photosynthesis. Eventually, the plant dies. In NYS, multimillion-dollar crops such as grapes and apples, are in danger of spotted lanternfly infestation.
How You Can Help! Learn to identify spotted lanternflies, especially their egg masses. If you see a spotted lantern fly, note the location, take a picture for your report to the Department of Environmental Conservation, and squish on sight! Inspect outdoor items, such as firewood, vehicles, furniture, clothing, etc. for egg masses. Destroy egg masses that you see by scraping them into a bucket of hot soapy water or a baggy/jar of hand sanitizer.
The Asian long-horned beetle is a beetle species native to eastern Asia, primarily the Korean Peninsula, China, and possibly northern Japan. It is also called the starry sky beetle, basicosta white-spotted longicorn beetle, and smooth shoulder longicorn. Asian long-horn beetles cause irreversible damage to maple and other hardwood trees across the USA, including NYS.
What Does It Look Like? Adult Asian long-horned beetles have bodies up to 1.54in long (39mm) with antennae as long as 1.6in (40cm.) They have a black body with about 20 white spots on each wing cover, white and black banded antennae, and white-blue upper legs.
When Did It Arrive? Asian long-horned beetles most likely arrived in the USA hidden in wood packaging before regulatory practices were enacted. In 1996, they were first discovered in NYS. They can be found sporadically throughout NYC and have established a population in MA.
Where Is It? Asian long-horned beetles live inside hardwood trees, including maple, elm, and willow trees. They lay eggs on tree bark, and the larvae burrow further inside the tree until they develop into adults (known as pupation.)
Who Does It Harm? When larvae burrow and develop inside the trees, they slowly kill it by feeding on the trees' nutrients. Infection renders trees useless for lumber and even turns them into safety hazards, especially during storms, when limbs break off and fall on people, vehicles, or other structures. In NYS, the maple syrup industry is particularly vulnerable to Asian long-horned beetle attacks. Infected trees cannot heal, so the only treatment method is to remove the tree and either to incinerate or to chip the wood.
How You Can Help! The most important way to stop the spread of the Asian long-horned beetle is to avoid moving tree material and untreated firewood more than 50 miles. Additionally, if you think you see an Asian long-horned beetle, call the hotline at 1-866-702-9938 or submit a report online through the USDA Health Inspection Service. If possible, capture the beetle in a durable container and freeze it for identification.
The zebra mussel is a clam-like bivalve mollusk native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia. They secrete durable, elastic strands that allow them to attach to vegetation, as well as tough, human-made surfaces such as concrete, steel, and fiberglass.
What Does It Look Like? Zebra mussels often (but not always) have striped patterns on their D-shaped, very sharp shells. Typically, they are about the size of a fingernail, but they can grow to approximately 2in (50mm.)
When Did It Arrive? Zebra mussels were first detected in the USA during the late 1980s. They simultaneously entered NYS by way of Lake Erie and the Hudson River, spreading east.
Where Is It? Zebra mussels live in freshwater environments. They can often be found on the undersides of docks, boats, and anchors.
Who Does It Harm? Overpopulation of zebra mussels alters the ecosystem of the environment. In 1993, Seneca River’s major decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration and chlorophyll was attributed to increased presence of zebra mussels. Zebra mussels might be the source of a fatal avian botulism spread that has killed over 10,000 birds in the Great Lakes since the 1990s. They cling to almost anything and build up to the point of disruption, including water-treatment plants, underground pipes, and more.
How You Can Help! Inspect and remove debris from boats, trailers, and other equipment that has contact with water and dry them in the sun for at least 5 days before they launch into another body of water.
The sea lamprey is a primitive, parasitic, eel-shaped fish native to the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes called the “vampire fish,” sea lampreys feed by suctioning onto a host fish and using their tongues to suck out blood and fluids.
What Does It Look Like? The sea lamprey has a long, eel-like body that can grow up to 47in (1.2m) long. They are usually olive or brownish yellow in color on their backs, with some black marbling and light coloration on their bellies. Sea lampreys lack a jaw. Instead, they have round and sucker-like mouths that are as wide or wider than their heads and sharp teeth arranged in a circle that surrounds a sharp tongue.
When Did It Arrive? Sea lampreys were first spotted in Lake Ontario in 1835. In the early 1900s, the Welland Canal allowed access to Lake Erie and the rest of the Great Lakes, where they thrived sans predators.
Where Is It? Sea lampreys live in freshwater environments. They can survive at depths of up to 2.5mi (4km) and tolerate water temperatures between 34-68°F (1-20°C.)
Who Does It Harm? Sea lampreys predate the Greak Lakes' native populations of commercial fish, including trout, whitefish, perch, sturgeon, ciscoes, and more. A single lamprey can kill up to 40lbs (18.1kg) of fish in one year. Between the 1900s and the 1960s, lake trout harvest decreased from 15 million lbs. (6804 metric tons) to 300000lbs (136 metric tons.)
How You Can Help! If you see a sea lamprey in the Great Lakes region, report it to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
The European starling is a medium-sized perching bird native to Europe.
What Does It Look Like? Their winter plumage is dark brown with white spots. As that plumage gets worn down during the year, it transforms into an iridescent black coloring for their summer plumage.
When Did It Arrive? In 1980, a misguided group of Shakespeare fans released a population of 100 European starlings into Central Park in an effort to bring to the United States all the bird species mentioned in Shakespeare's works. Today, there are an estimated 200 million European starlings across North America.
Where Is It? Because they eat almost anything and lack natural predators, European starlings can be anywhere and everywhere, but they especially frequent bird feeders when available.
Who Does It Harm? European starlings outcompete native birds for perching sites and food sources, meaning that as they thrive and reproduce, species such as eastern bluebirds, purple martins, woods ducks, and more, struggle. European starlings also harm domestic animals by eating their food. Each year, European starlings cause approximately $800 million worth of agricultural damage by eating crops and feed. Even here at the zoo, European starlings will eat our carnivores' meat diets.
How You Can Help! If you see European starlings in your area, keep them away from personal bird feeders. Always cover your garbage and avoid leaving out food.
Hydrilla is an aquatic plant native to Asia. Sometimes called “water thyme,” hydrilla is a freshwater species that rapidly reproduces. It can grow up to 1in (25mm) per day, forming thick mats along the bottom of lakes and rivers that decrease water oxygen levels that kill both native plants and fish.
What Does It Look Like? Hydrilla is a green plant with long stems and small, pointed, serrated leaves. Once hydrilla takes root, it can grow up to almost 30ft (9m) in stem length as its leaves form dense, horizontal matting underneath the water's surface.
When Did It Arrive? Hydrilla was released into Florida waterways as part of the aquarium trade during the 1950s. Hydrilla was first spotted in Orange County, NYS in 2013. It has since spread to Broome, Erie, Suffolk, Niagara, Nassau, and Westchester Counties.
Where Is It? Even though it is a freshwater species, hydrilla have a high resistance to salinity (or level of salt in water.)
Who Does It Harm? Hydrilla mats damage the ecosystem they invade by shading and displacing plant species native to the area, kill fish by decreasing dissolved oxygen levels in the water, and disrupt water flow and drainage in human-made structures such as reservoirs and irrigation canals.
How You Can Help! Inspect and remove debris from boats, trailers, and other equipment that has contact with water and dry them in the sun for at least 5 days before they launch into another body of water. Avoid dumping aquarium contents in any waterbodies, drainage ditches, or sewers.
Also known as common buckthorn, Hart’s thorn, and European waythorn, European buckthorn is a fast-growing shrub native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia.
What Does it Look Like? European buckthorn is a shrub that can grow up to 30ft (over 9m) tall with thick, thorny branches. Its green leaves and seeds within its purple fruit are mildly poisonous to humans and other animals, though birds frequently eat them.
When Did It Arrive? European buckthorn arrived in the U.S. in the mid nineteenth century intended to be used as hedges, but was found to be aggressively invasive.
Where Is It? European buckthorn can be found across North American, including most northern areas of the United States. Today, it has been spotted all throughout NYS.
Who Does It Harm? This hardy plant outcompetes many other native NYS species for nutrients, crowds out sunlight due to its structure, and serves as a host for harmful crown rust fungus and soybean aphids, which further damage or degrade the soil’s nutrients and the wild habitat as a whole.
How You Can Help! If you see European buckthorn, remove it with care. The plant’s full root system must be removed, or else the plant will survive and resprout. Certain herbicides can also be used to kill this plant.
Loosestrife is a tall plant native to Europe, northwest Africa, and parts of Asia. This flowering plant, now considered a noxious weed in North America, spreads easily once it has taken root, forming dense colonies across freshwater wetland areas. One loosestrife plant can produce up to 2.7 million seeds per year.
What Does it Look Like? Loosestrife is a flowering plant that can reach heights up to 6ft (~2m) tall. Multiple stems grow from its single, woody root mass. Its narrow leaves are usually reddish or purplish in color. As they grow and spread, loosestrife can clump up into dense structures with diameters up to 5ft (1.5m.)
When Did It Arrive? Loosestrife is thought to have arrived in North America in the early nineteenth century. Perhaps its seeds were unknowingly carried upon the ship, or perhaps it was purposefully brought on as an ornamental plant due to its aesthetic flowers.
Where Is It? Loosestrife has taken hold in nearly every US state, including NY. It is typically located in areas with moist soils and freshwater wetlands such as bogs, marshes, and swamps.
Who Does It Harm? Not only do loosestrife colonies displace other native plant species, but they also can grow to be so thick that they disrupt or block water flow, meaning that waterfowl, amphibians, and other aquatic species must contend with harmful damage, too. Irrigation projects can be negatively affected by loosestrife invasion.
How You Can Help! When removing loosestrife, be sure to include the roots and stems to eliminate it completely. Alternatively, an environmentally consciousness removal method involves introducing certain species of beetles can reduce a loosestrife invasion. In some instances, herbicide removal is ideal.
Water chestnut, otherwise known as water nut and water caltrop, is an aquatic plant that forms dense, floating mats atop the surface of freshwater lakes, ponds, slower-moving rivers, and streams. It can spread further by clinging to watercrafts or other floating objects. This plant is native to areas of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Although it shares its name with a popular tuber plant often found in Asian cooking, it is a distinct species.
What Does it Look Like? Water chestnut has a long, hollow stem that ranges from 12-15ft (~3.5-4.5m) under the water’s surface and roots that attach to the soil. Its green, triangular leaves float above the water’s surface.
When Did It Arrive? This plant arrived in the northeast United States in the late nineteenth century as an ornamental plant. By the early twentieth century, it had already established itself in the Hudson River.
Where Is It? Water chestnut has now spread to over forty NYS counties.
Who Does It Harm? When these dense mats of water chestnut form, native aquatic plants are unable to survive due to being shaded out, which leads to other wildlife species not having sufficient food and shelter. These mats also decrease the dissolved oxygen levels of water, ultimately killing fish species. Additionally, water chestnut can impede recreational watercraft movement, including boats, kayaks, and canoes. The sharp leaves and fruits of water chestnuts can cause painful injuries to humans who step on or otherwise come in contact with them. Property values of shoreline real estate infested with water chestnut decrease considerably.
How You Can Help! Clean, drain, and dry your watercraft before and after each use. Decontaminate all equipment and disinfect all fishing gear. If you see water chestnut, take photos and report the sighting to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
