The New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse has organized the first INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK in New York as July  6-12.

Please visit their blog: http://www.nyis.info/blog/

Invasive species are more than just Japanese Beetles and Purple Loosestrife.

Agricultural Invaders affect food crops: Alfalfa Snout Beetle, False Coddling Moth, Light Brown Apple Moth, Swede Midge, Spotted Wing Drosophila, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Late Blight, Plum Pox

brown marmorated stink bug

Aquatic Plants and Animals: Round Goby, Spiny  and the Fishhook Waterfleas, Asian Carp, Asian Clam, Asian Shore Crabs, Northern Snakehead Fish, Mute Swan, Water  Chestnut, Hydrilla, Common Reed

Insects: Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, European Crane Fly, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Sirex Woodwasp

emerald ash borer

Pathogens and Parasites: besides those affecting food crops  there is Oak Wilt, and Viral hemorrhagic Septicemia (a deadly virus of fish)

Terrestrial Animals: Feral Swine

Terrestrial Plants: Buckthorn, Garlic Mustard, Giant Hogweed, Honeysuckle, Japanese Knotweed,  Japanese Stiltgrass, Mile-a-Minute Weed, Multiflora Rose

garlic mustard

What can you do? Foremost, learn about invasive species so you can recognize them. There are plenty of resources online or through the DEC, and Cooperative Extension.  Common sense rules apply when you are moving firewood, taking a boat from one body of water to another, or digging up plants to share from your garden.

Visit the NY Invasive Species website to learn more. Events are being held this week throughout the state!