Invasive species
dr. dolittle | May 27, 2016In a prior post summarizing the annual Michigan Physiological Society Meeting, I briefly mentioned the work from Adrian Vasquez, Milad Qazazi, Andrew Failla, Sanjay Rama, Samuel Randall, and Jeffrey Ram from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI).
They were exploring the diversity of water mites, a type of arachnid, in Western Lake Erie and they found a mixture of both native and invasive species.
Dr. Jeffrey Ram, Professor at the School of Medicine at Wayne State University, was kind enough to share images from their work. They refer to these particular water mites as "charismatic microfauna"…
gregladen | July 24, 2014The ranger stood on the dirt road, facing south, and the rest of us, scattered about the parked safari truck, facing north and paying close attention to what she was saying. The sun was slipping quickly below the red sand dunes to our west, and the day’s warm breeze was rapidly changing to a chill wind. She talked about what we might see after we remounted the safari truck, which we had just driven out of the campground at the southern end of Kgalgadi Transfrontier Park, where we were staying in the South African camp, just across from the Botswana camp. This would be a night drive, cold,…
sastyk | January 5, 2011My Science Blogs Colleage at Dean's Corner suggests that in the New Year all of us should think about eating more invasive species. I'm delighted to see this idea being promulgated by both my colleagues and the New York Times, because it highlights one of the best ways of controlling species that get out of control - eat them. The reality is that with almost 7 billion people needing food, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard and the rest of the pests don't really stand a chance if we take these food sources seriously. There are a host of great recipes here worth considering.
Not only might…
awild | March 18, 2010
Harmonia axyridis, the Asian Multicolored Lady Beetle
If I had to pick the most annoying insect in Illinois it'd be Harmonia axyridis. This lady beetle was introduced to our continent as a control agent for aphids but became a pest in its own right. It consumes not just aphids but all manner of other insects, including beneficials like native lady beetles. Swarms of them descend into our houses in the fall. They get just about everywhere. They have a noxious odor. And they bite.
A study out in PLoS One byLombaert et al has determined that our local beetles here in eastern North America are…
awild | November 30, 2009
Anochetus mayri
Anochetus mayri is an ant most North American myrmecologists will not have encountered in the field. This toothy exotic is a small brown insect, less than half a centimeter long, known in the United States only from scattered locations in suburban Florida. I photographed one this summer on a collecting trip to West Palm Beach.
Anochetus mayri illustrates a couple recurring themes in myrmecology.Â
First is just how inadequate our taxonomic understanding of ant species remains.  While identifying this ant in West Palm Beach is easy enough- A. mayri is the only…
awild | November 16, 2009from an interview with Survivor contestant Kelly Sharbaugh:
When your name showed up, you looked flabbergasted, shocked, dumbfounded.
All of the above. I had no idea that Russell had the idol. When [host Jeff Probst] said my name, I was like. âWhat just happened? What did I do?â I was so emotional because I was so unprepared. I didnât even wear my favorite boots to tribal because the thought that I could go never crossed my mind.
Did you ever get them back?
No, fire ants nested in them so I left them in Samoa and after the tsunami Iâm pretty sure they got washed away.
Good for Kelly, I say,…
awild | October 16, 2009In the past week:
Solenopsis invicta reaches Missouri
Wasmannia auropunctata reported on Maui
grrlscientist | May 7, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, pet animal trade, pet parrots, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, AZA, politics
Those of you who are following the situation with HR669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act [full text : free PDF] know this resolution survived its initial House subcommittee hearing and will be heard again on an as-yet unannounced date. Even though I support the stated purpose of this resolution -- preventing invasive nonnative wildlife from being introduced into the United States -- this bill, as written, will not accomplish that goal. I have…
grrlscientist | May 1, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, pet animal trade, pet parrots, World Parrot Trust, politics
Those of you who are following the situation with HR669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act [full text : free PDF] know this resolution survived its initial House subcommittee hearing and will be heard again on an as-yet unnannounced date. Even though I support the stated purpose of this resolution -- preventing invasive nonnative wildlife from being introduced into the United States -- this bill, as written, will not accomplish that goal. I have been communicating with…
grrlscientist | April 23, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, politics
Let's watch the legislative process in action: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669. [Archived Video].
Will anyone add this hearing footage to YouTube? For some mysterious reason, I cannot view it on my laptop and cannot find it on YouTube yet, either.
A brief synopsis of the Subcommittee Hearing:
The Subcommittee hearing was the first step for this bill. Chair Bordallo repeatedly stated that the committee members were there to learn and get input. When the meeting was adjorned,…
grrlscientist | April 23, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, politics
Let's watch the legislative process in action, live: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669 (10:00 AM -- 1324 Longworth).
Take Action Now.
HR 669 Links:
Will HR 669 Transform Your Exotic Animals into Illegal Aliens?
My detailed analysis of HR 669 and its impacts.
Video discussing some of the impacts HR 669 will have on exotic animal breeders, pet store owners and scientists.
Are you a scientist, conservation biologist, biomedical researcher or exotic animal breeder who will be…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2009tags: 'Alala, Hawaiian Crow, Hawaiian Raven, Corvus hawaiiensis, endangered species, conservation
One of the last wild-born `Alalâ to ever be photographed in the wild.
Image: The Honolulu Advertiser.
One of the rarest forest birds in the world, the critically endangered `Alalâ, or Hawaiian Crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, was awarded $14.3 million in conservation funding over the next five years, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
This funding package will focus on expanding captive propagation, establishing new populations in managed habitat, protecting…
grrlscientist | April 18, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, pet animal trade, PetSmart, politics
As expected, PetSmart has officially spoken out against HR 669. As a large corporation, you KNOW PetSmart has a flock of lawyers who are studying legislation such as this to make sure that laws are not enacted that would damage them or their clients. While PetSmart supports the primary aim of this bill -- to prevent the introduction of potentially invasive nonnative animal species into this country -- they point out that HR 669, as written, will damage the pet industry and harm pet owners ("pet parents…
grrlscientist | April 17, 2009tags: HR669, pets, exotic animals, invasive species, politics
[larger view]
Feel free to download, email, print and distribute or post this fact sheet among your friends, colleagues, and the pet stores that you patronize.
The text of this poster states:
HR 669 prohibits what YOU can do with your pet bird (or other exotic animals).
You may NOT take your pet bird (or other exotic animals) if you move to another state [Section 6(a)(2)] or country [Section 6(a)(1)]
You may NOT travel across state lines on vacation with your pet bird (or other exotic animals) [Section 6(a)(2)] NOTE:…
grrlscientist | April 17, 2009tags: HR 669, pets in peril, politics, nonnative animals, exotic animals, streaming video
This interesting video discusses the potential repercussions of HR 669, The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, which is being heard by congress on 23 April 2009 [4:00]
Take Action Now.
HR 669 Links:
Will HR 669 Transform Your Exotic Animals into Illegal Aliens?
My detailed analysis of HR 669 and its impacts.
Are you a scientist, conservation biologist, biomedical researcher or exotic animal breeder who will be impacted by HR 669?
Brief Factsheet (printable) regarding HR 669 and its impacts.…
amillikan | April 16, 2009A proposed law to protect native species and habitats from invasion by nonnative animals is scheduled to be heard April 23 in the U.S. House of Representatives, and ScienceBloggers are voicing strong--and contending--sentiments about the bill. House Resolution 669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Protection Act, would prevent the importation and trade of invasive animal species, but ignores invasive exotic plants that can cause "tremendous economic, environmental, and habitat damage," in the words of GrrlScientist. She raises a number of other objections to the bill, but Mike Dunford of the…
grrlscientist | April 16, 2009I am writing an OpEd argument against HR 669, The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, and I have pitched an analysis of HR 669 to a magazine where it will be published very rapidly. One thing that I want to include in my writing is mention of any conservation efforts or scientific research that will be negatively impacted by HR 669, and I thought you might be able to help me. If your conservation program or scientific research (or that of your colleagues) could be negatively impacted by HR 669, can you email a statement that includes these details; (1) your research species (2) a…
grrlscientist | April 13, 2009tags: House Resolution 669, HR 669, The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, legislation, pets, politics
A proposed new law, House Resolution #669 (HR 669), The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, is working its way through the United States Congress. This resolution was introduced by Delegate Madeleine Bordallo [D, Guam] on 26 January 2009, was referred to Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife on 4 February 2009 and is scheduled to be heard by the House of Representatives on 23 April 2009. The stated purpose of this resolution is to prevent the…
grrlscientist | March 20, 2009tags: The State of the Birds 2009, ornithology, birds, endangered species, conservation, global warming, climate change, environment, invasive species, habitat loss
Streaming video [6:31]
According to the most comprehensive report ever published in the USA, nearly one third of America's 800 native bird species are endangered, threatened, or in significant decline, thanks to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, competition from invasive species and other threats.
The shocking report, published by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, reveals that of the more than 800 bird species that…
ddobbs | March 10, 2009
A European nightcrawler, ready to make trouble
Eartthworms, it seems, are the new decimator, at least in Midwestern hardwood forests . Scientific American has the story:
Long considered a gardener's friend, earthworms can loosen and aerate the soil. But the story is different in the Great Lakes region. The last Ice Age wiped out native earthworms 10,000 years ago, and ever since the Northeast forest has evolved without the crawlers, Hale says. But now earthworms are back, a product of fishers who toss their worms into the forest, of off-road vehicles and lumber trucks that carry them in the…