History, Natural History & the Arts
What are round-ish, mostly orange and commonly found in October on front porches or near entryways?
Obviously the answer is Harmonia axyridis, a.k.a. the multicolored lady beetle or lady bug. This insect, although beneficial to gardens, is no treat when it gathers by the hundreds on your doors or exterior walls in autumn. And more than a few will find their way indoors. [Read more…] about It’s Lady Bug Season
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest from Asia that feeds on a variety of plants including grapes, hops, and maple trees. It poses a severe threat to New York’s forests and agriculture.
SLF has been found in several locations in New York State, but has not yet spread into much of the state. One potential pathway for the spread of SLF is its preferred host plant, tree-of-heaven, which is already found in many locations across NY. [Read more…] about Help Track Spotted Lanternfly: Claim a Grid Square to Survey
“If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life.” David Henry Thoreau’s statement, funny in a way, also brings to mind the grave harm done to cultures around the world by Western powers in the guise of “helping” them.
In a less horrific sense it applies to how we’ve “assisted” nature to disastrous ends. Cane toads in Australia, mongoose in Hawaii, Kudzu in the Southeast, and Asian harlequin ladybeetles that invade our homes each fall are a few examples of being too helpful. [Read more…] about Timber Stand Improvement: Helpful Enough, Or Too Helpful?
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that the plant hydrilla, an aquatic invasive species (AIS), has been found at the City of North Tonawanda Marina and now threatens the Niagara River.
DEC and its partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), are working to prevent the infestation from spreading. There are no other known infestations of hydrilla along the river. The discovery was made by a concerned citizen who reported it to USACE. [Read more…] about Invasive Hydrilla Threatens The Niagara River
The New York State Department of Environment Conservation’s (DEC) Marine Fisheries captured four round gobies at two locations in the Hudson River approximately 12 and 25 miles downstream of the Federal Dam in Troy during routine fish sampling in July, marking the first documented occurrence of this invasive fish in the Hudson River. [Read more…] about Invasive Round Goby Caught in the Hudson River
Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (PSC AWI) has released its Annual Stewardship Program report for the 2020 boating season. The publication summarizes data on aquatic invasive species (AIS) spread prevention and highlights achievements from the previous summer field season. [Read more…] about Adirondack Aquatic Invasives 2020 Annual Report Released
It’s normal to tune out all the Chicken Littles (such as yours truly) who run around squawking about this or that invasive forest pest or disease that pose a threat to trees. I mean, how many times can the sky fall, anyway? But the real danger is when we feel so overwhelmed that we throw up our hands. Thinking we can’t make a difference could result in more harm to forests than the pests themselves. [Read more…] about Preventing Oak Wilt: Painting Our Way Out of a Corner
Asian longhorned beetles (ALB) are wood-boring beetles native to Asia that were accidentally introduced to the United States through wood-packing materials. These pests attack a variety of hardwoods, including maples, birches, and willows, among others, and have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of trees across the country.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is encouraging swimming pool owners to participate in DEC’s annual Asian Longhorned Beetle Swimming Pool Survey. During late summer, ALB emerge as adults and are active outside of their host tree. The goal of the survey is to locate infestations of these invasive pests before they cause serious damage to the State’s forests and street trees. [Read more…] about Pool Owners Sought for Citizen Science Survey
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest that feeds on a variety of plants including grapes, hops, and maple trees, posing a severe threat to New York’s forests and agriculture.
SLF has been found in several locations in New York but has not yet spread to much of the state. One potential pathway for the spread of SLF is its preferred host plant, tree-of-heaven (TOH), which is already found in many locations across New York. [Read more…] about Help Track Spotted Lanternfly
Giant hogweed plants are now blooming across many parts of the state, making it a prime time to spot this harmful invasive species. Giant hogweed is a large plant with sap that can cause painful burns and scarring.
Adult giant hogweed plants tend to be 7-14 feet tall with umbrella-shaped clusters of white flowers up to 2.5 feet wide. The stem is green with purple splotches and coarse white hairs, and leaves are large (up to 5 feet across), incised, and deeply lobed. [Read more…] about Watch For and Report Giant Hogweed