ASKED QUESTIONS about Invasive Species

This page contains answers to specific questions that have been emailed to us. These answers are often specific to one species are very detailed. For more answer to more general question, visit our Freqently Asked Questions page.

Click on the questions listed below, or on the topics listed in the right hand column to navigate to the answers. Click on Browse Answers to read them all.

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Q: I'm looking for a Listserv that focuses on how to eradicate invasive landscaping plants, such as Italian arum, Vinca major, privets etc. Any ideas?
Q: Is there any alternative treatment to killing off invasive bamboo, i believe it is the creeping kind?
Q: I was thinking of planting an Akebia quinata in my back yard. I live in an urban area. Is this considered an invasive species in Oregon? Do you recommend against it even if it is not considered invasive in Oregon?
Q: I've discovered a major colony of fire ants in my driveway. What is the proper way to dispose of these pests?
Q: [Are there] any experiments I could do with plants--or any sort of research for foreign and invading plants in Delaware?
Q: I am trying to find out if I have any legal rights to ask my neighbor to pay for the eradication of the bamboo that has invaded my backyard?
Q: Are there any tips you can give me to deal with invasive milfoil? Or are there any other Web sites with invasive species particular to New Hampshire?
Q: I have a copy of FHWA Pub. #FHWA-EP-02-003 entitled common roadside invasives. Can you tell me which of these are native to the Florida area?

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Q: Has anyone has looked into the possibility of "sterilizing" ship's ballast water by venting part of the engine exhaust through it?
Q: I wish to ship trees from Florida to Arizona and would like a list of certified nurseries in Arizona to contact.
Q: Do you know of any studies being done that connect the impact of invasive species on soil dynamics? Or the positive impacts on soils from planting natives?
Q: I am interested in buying a "princess tree" (i.e. The Empress Tree, Royal Paulownia Tree) and I just wanted to check to make sure it is not on the invasive species list.
Q: I am looking for existing policies or environmental documents on herbicide use on noxious weeds and their effectiveness. If there were pictures of the results, before and after, that could be used in a power-point presentation, it would also be very helpful.
Q: What species were introduced in Vermont?

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Q: I have a theory on a possible way to clear up large areas of variegated milfoil without chemicals or damage to fish and would be relatively inexpensive:
Q: I'm trying to find a way to control / eliminate horsetail that was planted in our garden and which is spreading everywhere.
Q: How can I get a list of invasive species for Anniston, AL (Calhoun County)?
Q: I am very interested in a job working with invasive species. Is there any organization that you know of that I could get in touch with to get some experience and contacts?
Q: What are the volatile components in cheat grass and other highly combustible invasive grasses?
Q: I have been battling Garlic Mustard this year on some property my father owns and have been unable to find an answer to the following question: If a plant is pulled out of the ground before the seed pods have completely matured (turned brown) are the seeds going to be viable?

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Q: I am restoring an old farmhouse and garden in Northern VT that have been taken over by goutweed (not the variegated type). Do I have any choice besides herbicides?
Q: Concerning Polygonum perfoliatum (mile a minute): I live in central Alabama and this vine growing here is a perennial. I have tried Roundup, brush killer, etc. Nothing seems to kill it.
Q: Could you tell me the population of the nutria rat as of this year and the population growth within the last 10 years or just the population of the nutria each year for the past 20 years?
Q: I need information on Helianthus tuberosus and how to control it.
Q: I'm in search of a list of invasive species for Iowa or the midwestern states.
Q: I'm trying to find data to prove what I've heard anecdotally, that weeds are worse this spring than last. Do you have that?

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Q: Why poison the waterways in Maryland to remove the Northern Snakehead population?
Q: According to my understanding, the snakehead fish is everywhere in Vietnam also and they are not as bad as I heard on the news...
Q: Concerning the snakehead fish: I am from South Carolina and one night...
Q: I would like to know how to get a picture of the Vietnamese nuclear worm.
Q: I'm trying to figure out where in Massachusetts the snakehead fish were found.
Q: I recently discovered a brown beetle inside a package that was shipped to me... What should I do with it?

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Q: I am setting up a booth related to invasive species for an exhibit at a fair and have been collecting live species for weed identification. Do you have any ideas to include in the exhibit?
Q: We would like to link to your site and would also appreciate confirmation that you are able to include a link to ours.
Q: I recently viewed a television show on Comedy Central which featured law enforcement officers who were shooting Nutrias in New Orleans. This was seriously offensive having first hand experience with how kind and interactive these animals can be. I will alert PETA to this destructive and cruel behavior.
Q: I am looking for GIS data to download on Invasive species for the U.S., to use in writing a lesson for grades 6-12 on invasives. 
Q: What start-up private invasive plant herbicide control business opportunities may be available in New Orleans to clear the historic architecture of enveloping vines, such as Macfadeyena unguis-cati?
Q: I was just wondering if there is such a thing as a southern snakehead found in the south like the northern snakeheads in Maryland? Are there restrictions on them? 

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Q: How is the commitment to invasive species programs changing under the Bush Administration - particularly zebra mussel eradication in the Great Lakes and ballast rules and regulations with Canada?
Q: What can I do if I find an Internet site that offers invasive weed species for sale?
Q: Is periwinkle invasive?
Q: I live in Southern Vermont and I think I have spotted some hemlock trees that have a hemlock wooly adelgid infestation. Is there someone I can contact to check these trees out?

Answers

Q: We've compiled a list of invasive plants found in our large municipal park in Chico, CA and are now researching control techniques for each of the 130 or so plants we've identified as invasive. It's fairly easy to find control techniques for agricultural and riparian weeds but not for escaped landscape plants. I'm looking for a Listserv that focuses on how to eradicate invasive landscaping plants, such as Italian arum, Vinca major, privets etc. Any ideas?
Answer: Much of the research and resources available on invasive plant control do tend to be focused on agricultural weeds. The invasive species community is working hard to add information for members of the horticultural and landscaping industries, and for those of us that also enjoy gardening. We appreciate your interest in managing for escaped landscape plants and other invasive plants in your municipal park. Here are some links to online resources about invasive species in California.

Italian Arum - Arum italicum

GardenWeb Listserve (http://www.gardenweb.com/) discussion on eradication of Italian arum (Arum italicum) http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/natives/msg1109360820447.html

According to Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas web site (http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/), the Native Plant Society of Oregon in 2002 reported Arum italicum as an invasive species. Given the lack of information on controlling this species, I suggest you try to contact the Native Plant Society of Oregon (http://www.npsoregon.org/) to find out whether they have any recommendations.

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Answer (Cont'd): Periwinkle - Vinca major

The Nature Conservancy - Elemental Stewardship Abstract - Vinca Major - See V. Management/Monitoring for information on controlling this species http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/vincmaj.html

Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Watersheds Weed Management Area http://smslrwma.org/
Vinca major information page http://smslrwma.org/Vinca1.htm

Envirotalk listserve (not for profit Australian environmental discussion forum) - Discussion about Vinca major control http://www.envirotalk.com.au/forum/index.php?showtopic=761

Chemical Control of Blue Periwinkle (Vinca major L.) in Croajingolong National Park, Victoria (Australia). Plant Protection Quarterly 14(2):47-50. http://eprint.uq.edu.au/archive/00000612/

http://www.Invasive.org
Miller, James H. 2003. Nonnative invasive plants of southern forests: a field guide for identification and control. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–62. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 93 p. Vincas, Periwinkles page - including management/control recommendations http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/EV.html

European/Chinese Privet page - http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/CP_EP.html
Japanese/Glossy Privet page - http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/JP.html

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Answer (Cont'd): Listserves:

The California Native Plant Society - http://www.cnps.org/programs/conservation/exotics.htm
Maintains several listserves including one on Plant Conservation Issues.

California Soceity for Ecological Restoration - http://www.sercal.org/. A non-profit membership based organization dedicated to the purpose of bringing about the recovery of damaged California ecosystems. This organization maintains the SERCAL Discussion Group where individuals interested in Ecological Restoration can post messages, articles, ask questions, get into discussions, keep informed, and leave responses. The SERCAL Discussion Group has established it's own " Internet Mail List." This is simply an email "bulletin board" where messages can be posted and replied to in a public forum. You can choose to receive individual messages or a daily "digest" of messages posted to the SERCAL Discussion List at your personal email address.

California WeedTalk provides a forum for discussion of invasive plant issues in California. Sponsored by California Invasive Plant Council, this listserv serves to facilitate information sharing between its members and others concerned about "wildland weeds," those particular plants that damage the state's ecosystems. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to californiaweedtalk-subscribe@topica.com.

The CalWeedMapping Listserv is a forum for discussing topics related to mapping weeds, monitoring invasion spread and treatment success, and managing and sharing data. Subscribe using the CalWeedMapping Subscription Form (http://lists.topica.com/lists/CalWeedMapping). You can unsubscribe from any message from the list.

The Nature Conservancy's Invasive Species Initiative maintains an invasive species listserve for people who are working in any aspect of invasive species issues - Read more about this listserve online at http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/listserv.html. TNC staff in California have developed an early detection volunteer program to patrol for invasive species. To join or learn more about this program go to http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/projects/california.html or contact Becky Waegell (rwaegell@tnc.org).

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Answer (Cont'd): Control / Other Resources:

The Pipevine (May 2005) - Newsletter of the Mount Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society - http://www.cnps.org/chapters/newsletters/pipevine.pdf (General Meeting - May 2, 2005, Butte County Library, Chico).

Invasive Plants and California Gardens - http://www.sandiego.gov/water/pdf/conservation/protect.pdf

Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands - http://groups.ucanr.org/ceppc/Invasive_Plants_of_California%27s_Wildlands/
Species Accounts - Plant descriptions are available listed in the following categories and include physical, biologicaly, and chemical control options/information:
Common Name Species List: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/datareport.cfm?reportnumber=143
Scientific Name Species List: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/datareport.cfm?reportnumber=42

Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas (http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/) - A web-based project of the Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group, that provides information for the general public, land managers, researchers, and others on the serious threat and impacts of invasive alien (exotic, non-native) plants to the native flora, fauna, and natural ecosystems of the United States. Provides CONTROL and MANAGEMENT options/information for specific species listed by Scientific Name (http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/list/a.htm) or by Common Name (http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/common.htm).

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The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - Invasive Plant Documents & Photographs - This page includes links to resources specific to individual invasive paltn species. All of The Nature Conservancy's invasive plant species summaries can be downloaded here, including "Element Stewardship Abstracts" (or ESAs), which are particularly large, researched, and inclusive management summaries. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs.html

The Weed Worders' Hand Book - A Guide to Techniques for Removing Bay Area Invasive Plants - The Watershed Project, California Invasive Plant Council - http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/5319/18601.pdf
Wisconsin Manual of Control Recommendations for Ecologically Invasive Plants - For a list of species covered in this manual go to http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/invasive/manuallist.htm#EXOTIC

Weed Control Methods Handbook (The Nature Conservancy) http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/handbook.html

Weed Control by Species: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, October 2000. California Department of Fish & Game, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.elkhornslough.org/plants/weeds.PDF
California Weed Science Society - http://www.cwss.org/

California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) Information for Gardeners - http://groups.ucanr.org/ceppc/Landscaping_Alternatives/
This Web site provides access to the "Don't Plant a Pest!: Alternatives to Invasive Garden Plants" brochure and the proceedings of a 2001 workshop "Linking Ecologya nd Horticullture to Prevent Plant Invasions" which resulted in the "Saint Louis Declaration on Invasive Plant Species" describing voluntary codes of conduct for professionals and the gardening public

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Q: Is there any alternative treatment to killing off invasive bamboo, i believe it is the creeping kind?
Answer: Here are some links to online resources that I hope will provide you with the information you need for controlling invasive bamboo.

The www.invasive.org Bamboos (Golden bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea Carr. and other invasive bamboos, Phyllostachys spp. and Bambusa spp.) page http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/EB.html provides recommended control procedures.

The American Bamboo Society - Controlling (Running) Bamboo page http://www.bamboo.org/GeneralInfoPages/ControllingBamboo.html includes information about how to remove running bamboo using mechanical (non-chemical methods) and how to prevent running bamboo from spreading.

Bamboo Gardens of Washington - Control of Bamboo - Running Bamboo - (look for these headings about 3/4 of the way down this page) http://www.bamboogardenswa.com/care.html - provides information and diagrams about Rhizome Pruning, Partial and Full Rhizome Barrier use and installation methods.

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Q: I was thinking of planting an Akebia quinata in my back yard. I live in an urban area. Is this considered an invasive species in Oregon? Do you recommend against it even if it is not considered invasive in Oregon?
Answer: You might want to visit some of these Web pages to help you decide whether or not to plant it. From what I could determine, it is invasive in the eastern US and hardy to zone 5. The Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group created a factsheet for Akebia quinata that describes the invasive tendencies of this species and suggests alternative species. It does not mention it as a problem in Oregon. However, since it is a zone 5 plant, it could at least in theory become a problem. You may also wish to visit the Center for Invasive Plant Management's website on Oregon's invasives. The Oregon State University Horticulture website has Akebia quinata listed as being a campus ornamental. Finally, Akebia is not listed as a weed species on the Oregon State Weed Identification website.

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Q: I've discovered a major colony of fire ants in my driveway. What is the proper way to dispose of these pests? I want to get rid of them properly and for good.
Answer: Here are some Web resources that may help you decide how to proceed. The Arizona Dept. of Agriculture has created a pest update factsheet for the imported red fire ants. Please note that extermination of fire ants can be very difficult (both native and invasive species). They tend to reoccur. For additional information, I suggest you contact your local Cooperative Extension Unit, by consulting the yellow pages of your phone book.

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Q: My teacher advised me to email you about possible plant independent projects. I was thinking about doing something about how many of the invasive plants in Delaware are foreign--but now I am emailing you to see if you would know any experiments I could do with plants--or any sort of research for foreign and invading plants in Delaware.
Answer: I suggest you read the article in the DelewareOnline NewsJournal. It mentions several organizations that are doing work in Delaware on invasive species. Perhaps you could contact them or visit their web sites to find possible projects.

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Q: I am trying to find out if I have any legal rights to ask my neighbor to pay for the eradication of the bamboo that has invaded my backyard. It is the yellow bamboo, which I've been told, is the most invasive variety of bamboo. It sends out runners across the yard sending up new tree shoots everywhere even in the middle of my lawn. Her back yard is entirely overrun with bamboo. There are only inches between the trees all the way up to her house. I also know that they are starting to invade the neighbor's yard on the other side of her as well. I live in Berkeley California.
Answer: I suggest you contact your local government to see if there may be an ordinance that protects property owners from damage caused by vegetation encroaching from neighbors. There is likely to be some sort of nuisance regulation in place at a local level. Their web site is http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/ If there is nothing the local government can do to help, you could contact your local biological extension service to see if they have suggestions for controlling the bamboo. There is also this Web page from the University of Georgia that has links to information on bamboo control. Good luck with your problem, and I hope you find a viable solution to it.

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Q: Are there any tips you can give me to deal with invasive milfoil? Or are there any other Web sites with invasive species particular to New Hampshire? I am doing a community service project in an attempt to rid a lake in NH of invasive variable-milfoil.
Answer: Concerning your question on controlling invasive milfoil, the abundant information available on the Web mostly concerns Eurasian watermilfoil rather than variable-milfoil, but the control techniques might be similar. There are some suggestions on the National Park Service's Alien Plant Working Group Weeds Gone Wild Database web site at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/mysp1.htm. Environment Canada also has control tips. Concerning invasives information specific to New Hampshire, perhaps you already checked out the What's in your neighborhood section of the National Invasive Species Information Center's website What's in your neighborhood section for New Hampshire. In searching for other documents related to invasives, I came across another reference to a fact sheet from Ohio that has additional information on ways to control the Eurasian water-milfoil, which may be helpful in the control of the variable-milfoil (you will need Acrobat Reader, available free on the Internet, in order to be able to access this link). And finally, the Invaders database provides a list of noxious weeds in New Hampshire.

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Q: I have a copy of FHWA Pub. #FHWA-EP-02-003 entitled common roadside invasives. Can you tell me which of these are native to the Florida area?
Answer: It is unlikely that any of them are native there. You may want to check the Florida Native Plant Society for more assistance with lists -- they also offer information on invasive species. You may also wish to examine the information available about invasive species in Florida from the National Invasive Species Information Center.

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Q: Has anyone has looked into the possibility of "sterilizing" ship's ballast water by venting part of the engine exhaust through it? Has anyone considered this? Is it practical? Why or why not?
Answer: The Monterey Aquarium Research Institute has produced a report / study on 7 January, 2002 about deoxygenating ballast water to prevent invasives. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force is one organization that is giving a lot of attention to ballast water treatment to prevent invasives. And finally, there is a EPA fact sheet with a lot of references to different organizations dealing with the ballast water issue. I did not find evidence of anyone attempting the specific idea of venting engine exhaust through ballast water to sterilize it, but I would not be surprised if it is a method that is currently under study.

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Q: I wish to ship trees from Florida to Arizona and would like a list of certified nurseries in Arizona to contact.
Answer: I think you will have to contact the Arizona Nursery Association, because the member list was not apparent on their Web site at http://www.azna.org/index.html. You can find contact information for them there, however:

Arizona Nursery Association
1430 W. Broadway Suite#A-180
Tempe, AZ 85282
480.966.1610
480.966.0923 fax
info@azna.org

I did also find a reference to an Arizona-based search engine named InfoZona. This URL within it yielded 16 business listings, but since I am not familiar with InfoZona, I don't know about the reliability of the results. Perhaps you can click through and decide for yourself.

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Q: Do you know of any studies being done that connect the impact of invasive species on soil dynamics? Or the positive impacts on soils from planting natives?
Answer: We do not have areas on our NBII web site at this time that deal directly with soil dynamics and invasives. I was personally made aware two decades ago of the importance of transferring soil with native tree restoration efforts in the tropics, due to essential root/fungi relationships. The symbiotic fungi are called "mycorrhizae" (truffles are an example of mycorrhizae). Perhaps if you search on Google or another search engine using that term, you may find the information you seek. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center provides a write-up on fire and invasion in Sierran forests. The author stated that "extensive surveys will be conducted to assess the soil nutrient status associated with invaded and non-invaded sites." Note, however, that the emphasis is on fire and invasives. There is a name and contact information, so you may find that there is additional data available. There is another web site that addresses the effect of one invasive, salt cedar, on the salinity of the soil in areas it invades. Finally, here is mention of studies by Carla D'Antonio at UC Berkeley on negative soil effects of the invasive ice plant: http://www.gcrio.org/ASPEN/science/eoc94/EOC3/EOC3-5.html

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Q: I am interested in buying a "princess tree" (i.e. The Empress Tree, Royal Paulownia Tree) and I just wanted to check to make sure it is not on the invasive species list. It will be planted in Pittsfield Township in Lorain County.
Answer: Ohio's list of prohibited noxious weeds can be found here. Paulownia is not on the list and is being sold commercially in Ohio. However, the organization Rural Action discourages people from planting the princess or empress tree (two common names for Paulownia tomentosa) because it can escape and become invasive. Keep in mind, however, that they are emphasizing protection of rural southeastern Ohio forests (and Lorain is north central). The US Forest Services lists Paulownia as moderately invasive in the eastern US (including Ohio). Finally, this may be your best option for a clear recommendation as to whether or not you should plant Paulownia in Lorain county: Dr. Brian McCarthy, at Ohio State, has student researchers studying ecological effects of Paulownia. Perhaps you could email or call him for advice (Paulownia reference is toward the bottom of the page) email: mccarthy@ohio.edu. Invasive species are an ever-growing problem in the US, and many of our most problematic species were planted as ornamentals and only later (sometimes much later) have become invasives. I admire your intentions to be sure of your choice of trees. By the way, did you know that Paulownias are the only trees in their family? All other members of their group are herbs (having non-woody stems). Paulownia wood is exceptionally light (with a small hole in the center of trunks and limbs) and fast growing.

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Q: I have been searching the Internet and getting names of contacts from federal, state, and private agencies who deal with noxious weeds and their environmental impact. I am looking for existing policies or environmental documents on herbicide use on noxious weeds and their effectiveness. If there were pictures of the results, before and after, that could be used in a power-point presentation, it would also be very helpful.
Answer: I would suggest the following: subscribe to either or both the IUCN Aliens-L listserv and the Alien Plant Working Group Discussion, and send your request there. The Alien Plant Working Group Discussion - APWG APWG now has an automated e-mail list provided by Envirolink. This list will serve to discuss APWG projects and promote relevant invasive plant discussion. To subscribe to the list: send an e-mail to listproc@envirolink.org with the following information in the body of the message (not the subject): SUBSCRIBE APWG-LIST Jane Doe (replacing Jane Doe with your own name). The IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group - Aliens-L Aliens-L is dedicated to alien invasive species, with a focus on those that threaten biodiversity. It allows users to freely seek and share information on alien invasive species and related issues. Participation from all who are interested in the invasive species problem is welcome. To subscribe send a message to ssc-mgr@indaba.iucn.org with the command, subscribe aliens-l, in the message body (not subject line). Other invasives listservs are described here.

In addition, there is a database with very detailed recommendations on management of weeds and notes on the use of herbicides at the TNC weeds website that displays their weed control methods handbook. We also have a compendium of West Coast invasive species resources on the California Information Node (cain) OFinally, another thing that might be particularly useful is the CalWeeds database This database catalogs more than 1500 actual weed management projects in California. Although the species and local ecology may be different than in your area, it is likely that the species and contact listings can point to experts on control of particular weed species on public lands.

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Q: What species were introduced in Vermont?
Answer: To answer your question about what species are introduced in Vermont in the most general sense, most of them. take into account that agricultural species are virtually all introduced by man, and that horticulturists and gardeners have planted an incredible variety of flowers and shrubs for human enjoyment. Also, domesticated animals in Vermont are abundant. However, if you meant to ask what are the recognized invasive species in Vermont, I can refer you to the following websites for more information:

Aquatic and wetland non-native species of concern
General mention of exotic nuisance species, including mute swans
Invasive plants from the INVADERS database

There are more invasive species that are of concern in Vermont, for which I could not find specific lists. Some are: west Nile virus, hemlock wooly adelgid, and gypsy moth. And finally, here is a web site called "America's least wanted" that has some overlap, and some different species included.

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Q: I have a theory on a possible way to clear up large areas of variegated milfoil without chemicals or damage to fish and would be relatively inexpensive: Instead of trying to find ways to get rid of variegated milfoil, I checked out what it needs to grow. It seems to need a great deal of sun to flourish. Since variegated milfoil only grows in 12 feet or less of water, couldn't large black tarps with flotation ropes be used to block the sun for a few weeks from infested areas? Ropes with cement blocks could be used to anchor the floating tarps. Large tarps are made for covering whole baseball fields. I don't know if this is doable or not, but we have a big problem and I think any ideas, no matter how far-fetched they may seem, are worth looking into.
Answer: Your suggestion concerning a possible treatment for water milfoil led me to believe you may have an interest in helping control the problem. I suggest you contact an organization in your area such as the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. Apparently, they train people to collect scientific data that can be used to address various issues, one of which is invasive aquatic plants. They, or some other organization like them, may know if someone else has thought of your idea or if it is feasible. My experience with aquatic ecology (which is somewhat limited) led me to think that the tarps would not allow fish to feed off the other small organisms on the bottom that would also be under the tarps. Also, there may be strong negative chemical effects in the water due to the rotting milfoil vegetation that would result. One would have to weigh these effects against those of chemical poisons to kill the weeds. I think you should carry your idea to an expert in your area for their reaction.

There are two scientists named at the bottom of this web page whom you might consider contacting. Another contact is the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental & Watershed Research, at:

Center for Environmental & Watershed Research
202 Sawyer Environmental Research Center
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469

Tel: (207) 581-3254
Fax: (207) 581-3290
umgmc@maine.edu

Good science is based on creative ideas, tested and retested. Please keep generating them!

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Q: I'm trying to find a way to control / eliminate horsetail that was planted in our garden and which is spreading everywhere.
Answer: Your message did not specify where you live, nor the type of horsetail that is causing your problem. Based on the limited information you give, I was able to locate a reference to chemical control of horsetail with dichlobenil (Casaron), but it should only be used in late winter or early spring. The advice was from the Office of Sustainability & Environment of the city of Seattle, but the specific link is now lost.

A pdf document on the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site details the chemical control of horsetail and weeds by chemical application of Metam Sodium.

And finally there are two more references from Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service. One is a detailed technical reference with extensive notes on its biology and control. The other is a shorter technical reference from Island County, with an offer to send by mail a publication on horsetails. They say control may be next to impossible, if re-invasion is likely from a neighboring property. They also mention chemical treatments.The treatment for most all horsetails seems to be the same from what I could research. It is difficult, because it will keep coming up if you pull it, from the fragments of the roots. You'll note from the reference of the Washington State Extension Service that one labor-intensive but effective way to control horsetail is to cover it with black plastic sheeting until it dies from lack of light. Everything else (that is not planted through a small hole in the plastic sheet) would also die. This is a method to inhibit weeds that sometimes used by commercial growers of strawberries, for example.

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Q: I'm trying to find data to prove what I've heard anecdotally, that weeds are worse this spring than last. Do you have that? (That is, are the weed counts xx% higher than last year? Is it a record year, or near record?) I'm interested in total weed counts, not in one particular type of weed. If this data isn't available nationally, can you give me some regional stats? I'd appreciate any help or advice you can give me.
Answer: I consulted with several colleagues in different government agencies who are specialists in this area, to find out the status of annual weed reports. They are members of FICMNEW, the Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds. As I suspected, there are no annual reports that summarize weed infestations nationwide at this time. Even regional reports often take several years to compile and digitize. Therefore, information for 2002 is only anecdotal at this time. I spoke with FICMNEW co-chair and Senior Weeds Specialist at the Bureau of Land Management, Gina Ramos. She feels that weed levels are not at record highs this year, simply because it has been so dry. However, in areas where there have been fires because of the drought, weed levels have increased dramatically. Another anecdotal comment: this year in wetland areas there is a marked increase in weed infestations, according to Mike Ielmini, FICMNEW co-chair and National Invasive Species Coordinator from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Q: How can I get a list of invasive species for Anniston, AL (Calhoun County)?
Answer: There appear to be no invasive species lists specifically for Calhoun County. In fact, there is very little in the way of invasive species regulations in all of Alabama. What is more, when one searches for invasive species lists in general, there are normally several different types of lists, generated by different agencies, depending upon the area of interest.However, I was able to obtain a recent list of exotic plants for Calhoun County from the Biota of North America (BONAP) museum based dataset - download this list in Microsoft Excel format. Also, here are two URLs dealing with some aquatic invasives in Alabama, one from the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service and another from Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fishes. The Alabama Herp Atlas Project also llists 5 introduced amphibian and reptiles in Alabama. To go directly to each name, in your browser's edit menu (if you are using Explorer or Netscape), choose "find on this page" and type "exotic" then hit the enter key and you will jump to each introduced species' name.There appear to be no official weed lists for Alabama, but there is a list of southeastern invasive pest plants generated by the Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.For a list on non-indigenous aquatic species in Alabama, you can also visit the USGS Non-Indigenous Aquatic Database and search by state. The result is here.One last suggestion for possibly finding a list of invasive species for Calhoun County: Often plant species information, including invasives, is collected by state botanists or ecologists on a regular basis (these are state or county officials), but then is not put on the Web or even digitized. I suggest you contact the Extension Service at a local college or university, and ask to speak to an expert in exotic species or pest species. They may be able to help you.

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Q: I am very interested in a job working with invasive species. Is there any organization that you know of that I could get in touch with to get some experience and contacts?
Answer: There are occasionally positions that are advertised on the different invasive species listservs. Visit the National Invasive Species Information Center for information on how to sign up for a lot of different invasive listservs.

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Q: What are the volatile components in cheat grass and other highly combustible invasive grasses?
Answer: I was unable to discover the answer to your question. The only references I could find vaguely refer to "volatile oils." A chemical analysis report I found only mentioned chlorophyll, protein, lignin (a plant connecting tissue), and ash, but did not include the analysis of any oils. As you probably know, many plants contain different essential oils; some are even extracted and used as the basis of perfumes, for example. Plants with oils, such as cheatgrass, sagebrush, and pine trees, can catch fire more quickly and burn very hot.Also, cheatgrass and other invasive herbs can cause wildfires to burn out of control simply because of their abundance.

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Q: I have been battling Garlic Mustard this year on some property my father owns and have been unable to find an answer to the following question: If a plant is pulled out of the ground before the seed pods have completely matured (turned brown) are the seeds going to be viable? In other words if I pull the plant out with green pods will those seeds be useless or can they still reproduce?
Answer: Are you familiar with the TNC's element stewardship abstracts? They contain a lot of really good material. Check out their website for ideas for controlling Alliaria petiolata.In general in my experience with seedpods, their maturation is a gradual process and there may be no precise answer to your question. It is usually a good bet that if the seeds within the still-green pods are not yet ripe looking, e.g. black, mature-looking and striated, they may not be viable. However, according to a study described at the above URL, under "CUTTING", even cut flower stems may form viable seed in garlic mustard, so "cut or pulled stems should be removed from the site whenever feasible."I hope this information helps. Also be sure to look at the additional linked information at the bottom of the TNC Web page. If you require even more information, perhaps you could contact the author of the document, whose name and address is near the bottom of the abstract.

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Q: I am restoring an old farmhouse and garden in Northern VT that have been taken over by goutweed (not the variegated type). Do I have any choice besides herbicides? Which one will work and do the least damage? My well is nearby.
Answer: The best advice I can give you concerning your question on weed control is that you call your local extension service at a nearby university. Here are a few related Internet references: University of Vermont Extension:
http://www.uvm.edu/extension/Vermont Master Gardener:
http://pss.uvm.edu/mg/mg/ Gardener Resources from the University of Massachusetts Extension Program:
http://www.umassturf.org/resources/gardener_info.html University of Vermont Extension links page:
http://www.uvm.edu/extension/links.htm Also, the University of Massachusetts' extension service listed this email address for a "Master Gardener Hotline" questions@wmassmastergardeners.org And if you are interested in pursuing an alternative treatment (with no guarantees!), there is also this reference
which describes weed control methods using ultra violet light.

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Q: Concerning Polygonum perfoliatum (mile a minute): I live in central Alabama and this vine growing here is a perennial. I have tried Roundup, brush killer, etc. Nothing seems to kill it.
Answer: The best fact sheet I could find on management/control of "mile a minute vine" is from the Alien Plant Working Group. It also has background information of how it is dispersed and descriptive info. I hope this helps.

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Q: Could you tell me the population of the nutria rat as of this year and the population growth within the last 10 years or just the population of the nutria each year for the past 20 years?
Answer: I could not find all the data to answer your question. The following fact sheet (in pdf format, which requires Acrobat Reader, available here.) states that Louisiana alone had about 20 million nutria in the late 1950's. A separate URL states that there may be an estimated (in 1996) 10,000 nutria in Jefferson Parish, and discusses methods of chemical control.This URL has data about the nutria population in the Chesapeake (USFWS).And finally, this URL states that the nutria population in Louisiana grew to 1 million between 1940 and 1950, from 6 pairs that escaped during a hurricane.

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Q: I need information on Helianthus tuberosus and how to control it.
Answer: Might I suggest you visit this Web site of Purdue University for ideas on weed management:
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/Core4/CT/Checklist/Page16.html. In case you were wondering, Jerusalem artichoke, in spite of its name, is an invasive weed that is considered native to the U.S.

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Q: I'm in search of a list of invasive species for Iowa or the midwestern states.
Answer: I suggest you query the PLANTS Database. Their advanced query page can be seen at the following URL. You may want to specify that the species be present in Iowa and introduced to the US, and you can click the option "display on report" for such information as images, fact sheets, and legal status at state and federal levels.It was not clear in your request if you are interested in other species besides plants. There are currently very few invasive species lists for other taxa. The Non-indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database lists non-native species by state, and for Iowa the results are here. You must remember that these lists include invasives AND species that are not invasive (non-native, but not threatening other species).

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Q: Why poison the waterways in Maryland to remove the Northern Snakehead population? Why not instead reintroduce an indigenous apex predator to the waterways, something like a dozen or so adult chain pickerel and maybe some other indigenous predators to solve the problem before you jump to the use of rotenone. While there might not be any immediate dangers with the use of poisons, haven't we learned our lessons from DDT, and other poisons?

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Q: I came from Vietnam, and I recognize the snakehead fish from several pictures through the newspaper and Internet. According to my understanding, the snakehead fish is everywhere in Vietnam also and they are not as bad as I heard on the news. I do not believe that they can live on land for 3 days. They can move on land only when the rains come around. It is true that they can eat their own kind when food is not available. Best of all, it tastes lots better than catfish!
Answer: As I understand it, there are at least 28 different types of snakehead, some more aggressive than others. It is common for a species that is "well-behaved" in its native habitat to become a problem when it is introduced elsewhere, and be a threat to the local wildlife. This is part of the concern about the snakehead in the U.S. Also, being an apex predator itself, it is unlikely that the northern snakehead Channa argus will be eaten or eliminated by chain pickerel.At the Secretary of the Interior's request, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has now made bringing any and all snakeheads into the U.S. illegal, as of October 2002.

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Q: Concerning the snakehead fish: I am from South Carolina and one night I was catfishing at lake Paul Wallace which is in Bennettsville. I was fishing with chicken liver and I caught one of these fish and never in my whole life as a fisherman have I seen one of these fish. When I caught this fish I killed it and left it beside the bank. It was a mature snakehead fish. I am positive it was.28. I am writing about the Chinese Snake Fish found in Maryland. Virginia isn't on of the states listed to have the fish. I am stationed in Virginia Beach. I fish a lot and recently caught a snakehead. I didn't know what it was at the time so I just put it back in the water thinking it was some sort of trash fish like a gar, then I saw the news and thought I should at least let some one know that the species is in an open water way in Virginia.
Answer: I have passed your comments along to a listserv of invasive species experts. One or more of them may contact you to request more information. I have also sent your comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services email hotline, snakeheads@fws.gov. Concerning the identification of the fish you caught: have you considered that it might be a bowfin or dogfish, which is native to the U.S., including Virginia and South Carolina? An image can be seen here and a description of its feeding habits and range can be found at this URL. For assistance in identification of the fish you caught, I strongly suggest you contact your State Fish and Wildlife Service. Check out the South Carolina DNR:

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Rembert C. Dennis Building, 1000 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201 For Virginia
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries
4010 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23230; email: dgifweb@dgif.state.va.usWhen you do, I suggest you provide them as much of the following information as possible: date caught, exact location, size of fish, type of fish, and your contact information.For your information, as of October 2002, it is now illegal to import snakeheads to the United States and its territories. Please see this URL.

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Q: I would like to know how to get a picture of the Vietnamese nuclear worm. My wife and I read about it in one of local papers, but I can't find a picture of it.
Answer: Your question led me to search on your behalf for more information on the "nuclear worm," and it was a bit difficult to find. Apparently that is a common name for Namalycastis abiuma, according to Maryland Marine Notes (Sea Grant)I was then able to find, on the Web site of an environmental consulting firm, an image that was labeled as Namalycastis abiuma. Since I'm not familiar with this organism, I cannot verify that this information is correct. The URL (http://www.aecos.com/CPIE/inv_02.html) is the second image on the page. (The taxonomic name label appears when you hold your cursor over the image.)

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Q: I'm trying to figure out where in Massachusetts the snakehead fish were found.
Answer: Please visit the following URL: http://collections.oeb.harvard.edu/Fish/ma_fish/ma_chan.htm

Q: I recently discovered a brown beetle inside a package that was shipped to me. The package contained a pressboard cabinet and was from China. The beetle is brown with long antennae similar to the Asian long-horn beetle, but has no spots and is about 1.25 inches long. What should I do with it? I have it in a bottle.
Answer: First and most important, please do not release it live into the environment. While I am an entomologist by training, our organization does not perform a regulatory function and most of us are information scientists. I am personally curious to see your beetle in a bottle, but sending it to me would not be the best solution.Please contact your local biological extension program at a regional university, so that they might identify your problem. They may request that you take a photo of the beetle and send it to them or they may be able to tentatively identify it during a telephone conversation (depending upon its characteristics). Asian long-horn beetles are just one of many serious invasive threats in the United States. They will also probably ask you to revise the wooden product you received and see if there are any insect-sized holes in it that might indicate there would be additional beetles emerging from it in the future. Alternatively, it could be that the beetle was only a "stowaway" in the shipping box (whether from China or within the U.S.)

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Q: I am setting up a booth related to invasive species for an exhibit at a fair and have been collecting live species for weed identification. Do you have any ideas to include in the exhibit?
Answer: Related to outreach and educating the public about invasive species, one idea I've found very useful in the past is to demonstrate the weed "look-alikes" along side the noxious weeds, in order to show people the differences between them. This way, they won't be pulling up natives, mistakenly thinking they are invasives.

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Q: We would like to link to your site and would also appreciate confirmation that you are able to include a link to ours.
Answer: Thank you for your interest in the National Biological Information Infrastructure and the services we offer. As you may know, the NBII serves as an electronic gateway to biological data and information products maintained by federal, state, and local government agencies, nongovernmental institutions, and private sector organizations in the United States and around the world. We are delighted that you would like to link to our site and encourage you to do so. Once we have been able to visit your site and determine whether its information might be of interest to our users, we will include it on our pages as well and as per you request, let you know. Thank you for pointing your Web page out to us. We are always looking for new resources related to the invasive species issue to include on our site.

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Q: I recently viewed a television show on Comedy Central which featured law enforcement officers who were shooting Nutrias in New Orleans. This was seriously offensive having first hand experience with how kind and interactive these animals can be. I will alert PETA to this destructive and cruel behavior.
Answer: Nutrias are a highly invasive vertebrate species whose voracious appetite for the roots of freshwater marsh plants has caused the death of marsh birds, mammals, and other organisms due to habitat destruction and the resulting influx of salt water from the sea once the protective root system has been eaten.  More information about the serious loss of habitat nutrias cause can be seen here. While Comedy Central may have spoofed the situation of nutria control in New Orleans, to the protectors of freshwater marshes in Louisiana and around the Chesapeake, exploding nutria populations are a serious problem that must be dealt with immediately in order to protect native species.

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Q: I am looking for GIS data to download on Invasive species for the U.S., to use in writing a lesson for grades 6-12 on invasives.  
Answer: There's a shapefile of zebra mussels at the U.S. National Atlas download site suitable for reading into GIS viewers.

Q: What start-up private invasive plant herbicide control business opportunities may be available in New Orleans to clear the historic architecture of enveloping vines, such as Macfadeyena unguis-cati, etc. (to enhance preservation of our unique homes). Any list-servers to get on to keep track of developments?  
Answer: Contact the LSU Ag Center for ideas on plant herbicide control in New Orleans. They may know what opportunities are coming up and about any effort to eliminate plant invaders on historic New Orleans properties. And a search of the resources they have to offer resulted in several links you may wish to investigate. Concerning pest control listservs, an excellent listserv of global and general scope is the Aliens-L list serve. You can search its archive to see whether it might interest you, and also find details on how to subscribe. Here are subscription details for pest management listserv from the Florida IPM. And finally, you should check the National Invasive Species Information Center for more information on many different invasive species listservs.

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Q: I was just wondering if there is such a thing as a southern snakehead found in the south like the northern snakeheads in Maryland? Are there restrictions on them?  
Answer: There is no fish that has the common name "southern snakehead." There are several of the 28 kinds of snakehead (non-native fish of the genus Channa) that could survive in the southern U.S. As of July 2003 however, only the northern snakehead (Channa argus) and the Bullseye snakehead (Channa maurulius) have established populations in the mainland U.S. waterways (and two others have populations in Hawaii). See the Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species Database for details. Channa argus is believed to have been extirpated from Maryland. The bullseye is less agressive than the northern snakehead fish, but does have an established population in Florida. There is also a Fish and Wildlife Web site with more snakehead stories. Answers to common questions, as well as how to tell an introduced snakehead from a native bowfin, can be found at the Web site of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Concerning your question as to whether or not snakeheads are restricted by law, according to this Chicago Tribune article, they have been banned in 13 states, and the Secretary of the Interior announced that snakeheads will be subject to import and trade restrictions. Also, federal legislation is in the works to further control invasive species.

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Q: How is the commitment to invasive species programs changing under the Bush Administration - particularly zebra mussel eradication in the Great Lakes and ballast rules and regulations with Canada?
Answer: If you have Acrobat Reader, brief fact sheets about how pending legislation would affect different aquatic invasive species can be found at the Web site of the Northeast Midwest Institute. A news story detailing briefly the main points of the pending legislation can be found on the Environmental News Network. The legislation being considered is bipartisan and would strengthen the existing Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act (NANPCA) of 1990 that was re-authorized by the National Invasive Species Act (NISA) of 1996. There are also abundant additional aquatic invasives resources available on the Northeast Midwest Institute's Web page on biological pollution. The Great Lakes Commission has a press release concerning the importance of passing the new the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA) of 2002. The NAISA seems to have sufficient bipartisan support to be seriously considered for passage in 2003.

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Q: What can I do if I find an Internet site that offers invasive weed species for sale?  
Answer: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture has new staff that is responsible for Internet surveillance related to interstate movement of federal noxious weeds. You can refer any information you have about this issue to sherrena.a.harrison@aphis.usda.gov, and please include the URL to any sites you may find.

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Q: Is periwinkle invasive?
Answer: Of course as with any species, the answer to this question depends on where you are. According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), there are four different plants commonly called "periwinkles" and all of them are introduced species in the continental U.S. (non-native). Here are more details about their invasiveness:

greater periwinkle or bigleaf periwinkle or large periwinkle -- Species: Vinca major
-declared invasive in Virginia by the Southeast Exotic Plant Pest Council, and the US Forest Service. see here for more details, halfway down the page, under "vines"..
-declared invasive in California as a "wildland pest plant of lesser invasiveness" more details are here.
lesser periwinkle or common periwinkle -- Species: Vinca minor
-declared invasive in 3 states by the Southeast Exotic Plant Pest Council, and the US Forest Service. see this list halfway down the page, under "vines".
-listed in Wisconsin's manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants, published by the Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources in 1997. (Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns, Eds.)
herbaceous periwinkle -- Species: Vinca herbacea
-according to the PLANTS database, it has only naturalized (occurs in the wild) in Massachusetts. see this map. It is not listed as invasive.
Madagascar periwinkle -- Species: Catharanthus roseus
-according to the PLANTS database, it has naturalized in several southern states, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii, but has not been declared invasive in any state.

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Q: I live in Southern Vermont and I think I have spotted some hemlock trees that have a hemlock wooly adelgid infestation. I am originally from Long Island and have seen it down there. Is there someone I can contact to check these trees out?  
Answer: Your best bet is to contact your local entomological extension service to see if they have suggestions on how to proceed. From their Web site, for southern Vermont, the natural resources contact would be Lisa Chase Natural Resources Specialist Brattleboro Office Phone: (802) 257-7967, ext. 21 E-mail: lisa.chase@uvm.edu FYI, there is currently a quarantine (pdf format) in effect to attempt to protect the state from the invasion. Another fact sheet (also in pdf format) shows the hemlock wooly adelgid's current rate of spread (and yes, southern VT is already affected).For your own information and possible action if the trees are in an area under your control (your own land), please check this FAQ Web page from the Garden Web and consider contacting a local arborist for an assessment as to whether chemical control might be an option (if only a few trees are involved). This page also describes some of the biological control efforts underway in New England (with a Japanese lady bird beetle).And finally, on the Vermont extension services Web site, I found two snippets about USDA studies from their annual reports. The first one, from a former fiscal year, was trying to determine if New England's cold winters may deter the adelgid's spread: Cold hardiness of hemlock woolly adelgid. Infestations of the hemlock woolly adelgid are within 20 miles of the Vermont border, and infested trees in a nursery were recently detected in Maine. The question is whether cold temperatures will limit its range expansion. This project examines the effect of cold on adelgid survival. Adelgids exposed in the laboratory for short periods of time to temperatures of -35 degrees C did not survive. Specific information on the influence of cold temperatures on adelgid survival will help define geographic areas to anticipate infestations of economic importance in Vermont. (B. Parker, M. Skinner, V. Gouli)In 2002, this same team were studying possible biological control by a fungus:

Entomopathogenic fungi for IPM of hemlock woolly adelgid. Hemlock woolly adelgid is an exotic pest, devastating hemlocks in parts of the eastern U.S. No effective method of management under forest conditions currently exists. We are conducting forest trials to manage this pest with insect-killing fungi and have evaluated the impact of these fungi on beneficial ladybeetles. No negative effect of the fungi was observed against the beneficial predator. Initial results indicate that spring applications are reducing adelgid populations, but full trials are not complete. Our results suggest that the predator and fungi are compatible management strategies. (B. Parker, M. Skinner, M. Brownbridge, S. Costa, V. Gouli)

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