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Reporting SiteMap IS Home |
Reporting Invasive Species Sightings
Individuals can and do make a
difference. An infestation of Asian long horned beetles was discovered in the
Chicago suburbs by a resident. He collected a large black beetle with white markings.
A desire for more information led him to the Internet, where he found a site that
showed a picture of the beetle he had, one of the most destructive plant pests in
China. He reported the find to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
which immediately followed up on the report by conducting surveys, and identifying
areas of infestation. These areas are now under quarantine and procedures are underway
to eradicate the beetle from the region. There is no current nationwide process through which a suspected occurrence of an
invasive species can be reported to a Federal Agency. The Federal Interagency Committee
for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds is developing a project proposal for
a nationwide process of early warning and rapid response for invasive plant species
(weeds). If this project proposal is implemented, it could serve as an example for
the development of early warning and rapid response systems for other types of invasive
species. If you spot a large outbreak of insects (or other pest species), collect specimens
and take them to a local authority such as a county agricultural agent or a university
for positive identification. If the pest is a species new to the area and is known to
be highly invasive, Federal officials located in your state should be contacted. Animal diseases Forest pests New and exotic weeds Plant pests (insects, diseases, etc) |
