Conservationist For Kids Spring 2018 Invasive Species

ConservationistNEW YORK STATE:seicepSevisInvaWhat YOU can do tohelp stop the spread!

ConservationistNEW YORK STATEIN THIS ISSUE,we learn aboutinvasive species,their impacts,and what we cando to help stoptheir spread.EurasianBoarWildParsnipSteven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.orgChris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.orgHydrillaOakWiltWant to receive Conservationist for Kids at home?Subscribe to Conservationist magazine!You’ll get six issues of the award-winningConservationist magazine each year, plusConservationist for Kids in the October,February and April issues.Call 1-800-678-6399 for informationabout how to subscribe or go to ourwebsite www.dec.ny.gov.2Contact us at:NYS Department ofEnvironmental ConservationConservationist for Kids,625 Broadway, 4th FloorAlbany, NY 12233-4502kidsconservationist@dec.ny.gov(518) 402-8047

What are invasive species?Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, anddiseases that cause harm to the environment, humanhealth and the economy.Why are invasivespecies a problem? Due to a lack of natural predators,invasive populations grow quicklyand outcompete native species forresources, disrupting food webs andeven endangering some species. Some invaders threaten human health.For instance, introduced mosquitoescan carry diseases such as the WestNile and Zika viruses.Alien, exoticor non-native:originating fromsomewhere elseand introduced to anew areaAre all species that comefrom different countriesconsidered invasive?No. Some non-native species arebeneficial, such as honeybees, whichare important pollinators. Other exoticspecies, like Queen Anne’s lace, may beconsidered a nuisance but don’t cause anyreal harm. Invasive species cost the U.S. about 120 billion annually between thedamage they cause and control efforts.How doinvasive speciesget here?Exotic plants and animals can arrive here in manyways. Some arrive by accident like insects hitching aride in wooden crates or aquatic animals and plantscarried over in the ballast water of cargo ships.Sometimes they are intentionally brought here likelandscape plants that are sold at nurseries whicheventually escape from gardens.3

Species ProfilesHydrilla Hydrilla is an aquatic plant from Asia that isextremely difficult to get rid of once it invadesa waterbody. It is a popular plant used inaquariums that was likely dumped into lakes andrivers by aquarium owners discarding their pets.It is very easily spread—small fragments of theplant can sprout and be easily carried elsewhereby boats, trailers and more. It can grow up to aninch a day and creates a thick mat of vegetationthat makes it hard to fish, swim and paddle.Hydrilla shades out native aquatic plants whichprovide food and shelter to native wildlife.Photo Credit:Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.orgWild parsnip Wild parsnip, native to Europeand Asia, can grow 2-5 feet talland has small yellow flowers thatare clustered together. It belongsto the same family as carrots,celery, and parsley, but unlikeits relatives, wild parsnip has abad reputation. If you see thisplant, do not touch it! The sapsignificantly increases your skin’ssensitivity to sunlight, so if youget it on your skin and your skinis exposed to sunlight, it causespainful burns and blisters. If you think you’ve touched wildparsnip, wash your skin withwarm water and mild soap, thenavoid sunlight on that area for acouple days.Photo Credit: (Middle Image)Andrew Link, Lacrosse Tribune 2013Hemlock woolly adelgid H emlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an insect that feeds oneastern hemlock trees. It arrived in the U.S. from Japan oninfested landscape trees. HWA are so tiny (1.5 mm) that youmay not even see them attached at the base of a hemlockneedle. You’re more likely to spot their woolly egg sacswhich look like the end of a Q-tip. H emlocks are an important keystone species that helpstabilize soils on steep slopes and provide habitat andfood for many types of wildlife. Hemlocks often grow alongstreams where their shade helps keep the water cool, whichis what many trout species prefer. The loss of hemlocks inNY from HWA attack has already had negative impacts onstream bank erosion and native trout populations.Photo Credits:Michael Montgomery, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.orgKelly Oten, North Carolina Forest Service, Bugwood.org4DYK:Keystone speciesplay a unique andextremely importantrole in an ecosystem.They create theconditions that otherspecies depend onfor survival. The lossof a keystone speciescan drastically changean ecosystem.

Oak wilt Oak wilt is a fungal disease thatkills thousands of oak trees inthe U.S. each year. While youcannot see the fungus just bylooking at the tree, you can seesigns that indicate your tree issick. An infected oak’s leaves willturn brown and fall off the treein the middle of summer, oftenso quickly that there will still besome green on them. Some oakspecies are killed in just a fewmonths, while it may take yearsfor other oaks to die.Spotted lanternfly Spotted lanternfly is an insect from Asia that feeds on a variety ofplants including grape vines, apple trees and maples. They stealnutrients from plants and secrete a liquid called honeydew. Thisliquid promotes the growth of mold which ruins fruit. Although not in New York yet, lanternflies are close by inPennsylvania. They lay their eggs on any flat surface so theyare easily transported on anything from cars and trailers to lawnfurniture and firewood. It is important to find infestations early sothey can be dealt with quickly to protect New York's forest andagricultural industries.Photo Credit:C.E. Seliskar, Bugwood.orgEurasian boar Eurasian boar, also known as wild boar or feral pigs,are native to Europe and Asia. These large animalshave razor-sharp tusks and black or brown fur. They areincredibly destructive—they harm or kill native plantsand wildlife, damage crops, and act aggressively towardhumans. It is believed that wild boar escaped or werepurposely released from game farms. Hunting wild boarscatters them into smaller groups, costing more time andmoney to track them down. As a result, New York Statehas made it illegal to hunt or possess Eurasian boar.Photo Credit:The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.orgBilly Higginbotham, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Bugwood.orgNymphPhoto Credit:Lawrence Barringer,Pennsylvania Department ofAgriculture, Bugwood.orgAdultDYK:Eurasian boar are dangerouson roadways because theireyes do not reflect headlightsat night, making them hard fordrivers to see.Success!A state and federal trappingprogram coupled with theban on hunting led to theeradication of boar in NY.Constant monitoring for newpopulations is necessary tomake sure they stay out!5

setivB l u e Fla gIsvai v e Re d - E a redIne Yello w IriNaivasrisInvWhat can I do to help preventS li dBlNarr y Check the contents of seed mixes and useonly those without invasive plants.eftClg Wa t e r craBOATERS Clean, drain, and dry your boats, canoes,kayaks, paddleboards and jet skis beforeand after you head out on the water. Theycan all carry invasive species.6 Donate unwantedplants and animalsto a school, naturecenter, aquariumor zoo, or returnthem to the placewhere you boughtthem. Contact aveterinarian or petstore for help if youcan’t find your peta new home.DYK:Goldfish, whichare native to Asia,outcompete our nativefish for resources.Female goldfish canproduce up to 40,000eggs each year!U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.orgDYK:Red-eared sliders,which are popularpets, outcompete ournative turtles for foodand habitat. They canalso carry Salmonellabacteria which can bepassed on to otherturtles and humans whohandle them.anvI Use native or non-invasive plants forgardens and landscaping. For example,choose the native blue flag iris instead ofthe invasive yellow iris or plant the nativehighbush blueberry instead of the invasiveburning bush.inan If you own an exotic pet and areunable to take care of it any longer,do not release it into the wild. If you own an aquarium, do notdump unwanted plants and animalsinto lakes, rivers and other bodiesof water.GARDENERSLeslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.orgRob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.orgPET OWNERSJoy Viola, Northeastern University, Bugwood.orghbushtivigeHbeInvBushaerB u r ni n guees ivsiv eG oldfi sh

R u st y C raInves ivANGLERSDYK: W hen you’re finished fishing,be sure to dispose of unwantedbait in trash cans, at disposal stationsor on dry land.neU.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.orgasive E m erdAs h B orerCAMPERSIn vald Be etleInviRusty crayfish are an invasive speciesfrom the Midwest that are often usedas bait and dumped into lakes andrivers. They are super aggressive andcan outcompete our native crayfish.sia n Lo n ghoras C lean off fishing equipment, such as rods andreels, before moving to another fishing spot.Aveyhfisathe spread of invasive species? When using firewood, keep it local. Firewoodmay contain invasive species such as theemerald ash borer and Asian longhornedbeetles that attack and kill our native trees.Check out www.dontmovefirewood.org formore information!HIKERS When hiking, be sure to clean your bootsand other equipment before and after yourhike to make sure you’re not transportinginvasive seeds and plant pieces.Donald Duerr, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.orgDebbie Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.orgDYK:Emerald ash borer isresponsible for thedeath of hundreds ofmillions of ash treesin the U.S.EVERYONE Report invasive species in your neighborhood.Email details about what you found and whereyou found it to DEC’s Bureau of Invasive Speciesand Ecosystem Health at isinfo@dec.ny.gov.Send in photos when possible.7

Invasive Species Word RVUGVMTRKCOZZFZZSICFKCGNGPHHPTIPhoto Credit:NYS STOPTHESPREADWILDPARSNIPFIREWOODREPORTNATIVECreate your own invader!Draw or use art supplies (such asfeathers, paper towel rolls, rhinestones,etc.) to create your own invasiveanimal, plant or disease. Where is yourinvader from? How did it get here?What traits does your species havethat make it successful at invading?What can you do to stop its spread?Use species we mentioned in thisissue for inspiration!Andrew M. Cuomo, GovernorBasil Seggos, CommissionerSean Mahar, Assistant Commissionerfor Public AffairsDEC OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICESHarold Evans, DirectorJeremy Taylor, EditorMaria VanWie, DesignerN RECYCLED PERPANew York State CONSERVATIONIST FOR KIDSVolume 11, Number 3, Spring 2018DOPRINTEAQUARIUMThis issue of Conservationist for Kids was fundedby NYSDEC’s Division of Lands & Forests. Specialthanks to Emma Antolos and Erin Brady for theirhelp preparing this issue.EDITORIAL OFFICES - Conservationist for Kids ISSN 1940-8099, 2018 by NYSDEC, is an official publication of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation published 3 times per year at625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4502. Telephone (518) 402-8047. TO SUBSCRIBE TO CONSERVATIONIST FOR KIDS, visit the department’s website at www.dec.ny.gov or call 1-800-678-6399. CONSERVATIONIST FORKIDS and the Teacher Supplement are available online at www.dec.ny.gov. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, disability, age or gender.