Invasive spindle-tree evolved in Asia and Europe and was introduced to North America most likely because of industrial uses for this woody shrub. The hard wood has historically been used to create spindles for wool, charcoal for art, and oils for soap making. More recently, this plant has become an ornamental landscaping plant.
February 20-26 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Each year, organizations around the country use this week to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose and how to prevent their spread.
Six new detections of EAB in Vermont have expanded the existing Infested Area within Caledonia, Chittenden, Orange, Rutland, Washington, and Windham counties.
Invasive Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana and all its cultivated varieties) has been in the news this year; states across the region have been listing this species as a noxious weed – a distinction that carries with it limitations and regulations on the sale and movement of these plants.
If you spend a lot of time out on freshwater lakes, ponds, and wetlands in the Northeastern United States, you may have noticed large jelly-like masses submerged under water. These slippery, slimy masses were most likely a community of microorganisms called a bryozoan, or Pectinatella magnifica.
One eerie feature catching eyes right now is Celastrus orbiculatus, an invasive vine commonly called “bittersweet." Invasive bittersweet originated in Asia, evolving in an ecosystem full of predators and pathogens that provided natural checks and balances on population levels.
During the summer, it possible to observe the invasive plant, Water chestnut (Trapa natans), with small holes scattered on their floating, triangular-shaped leaves. Some plants in various locations can be seen with up to 25% of their leaf-matter chewed through.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is asking the public to keep an eye out for the invasive pest known as spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) during the spring landscaping season.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) Lakes and Ponds Aquatic Invasive Species Program is excited to launch a brand-new community science project this summer, 2022 called the Vermont Invasive Patrollers for Animals Program
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation is spearheading a few projects geared towards tracking the phenology of invasive plants and we need your help!
Do you want to get involved in locating Tree-of-Heaven in Vermont? Now is your chance! Tree-of-Heaven is a preferred host for the Spotted Lanternfly. The presence of these two invasive species in Vermont could have detrimental impacts on many tree species, including apple trees, sugar maples, and more.
Phenologyis the study of the life cycle events of living things – like tracking when plants get their leaves, their flowers, and their fruits. Knowing this information gives us a better understanding of the species in our ecosystems, can guide the timing of our invasive plant management work, and can help us track the impacts of climate change on plants in Vermont. In 2022, The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation is spearheading a few projects geared towards tracking the phenology of invasive plants and we need your help!
At first glance, the spongy moth and the recent invader the spotted lanternfly (whose Latin name is Lycorma delicatula) would not appear to have much in common. The spongy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth. Moths fall under the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies, and are characterized by scaly wings and a long tongue. The spotted lanternfly may look like a moth, but a closer glance at their mouthparts reveals them as true bugs, in the insect order Hemiptera. This group of insects is characterized by sucking-piercing mouthparts that look like a long straw running along the underside of their bodies.
