Contact: Scott Smith | scott.smith@maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 01, 2016) – Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Bd), has been called the greatest threat to global amphibian biodiversity, having caused the disappearance of more than 200 of the world’s frog species since the 1970s. Now there’s a frightening “new kid on the block” called BSal, short for Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, a close […]
Contact: Jonathan McKnight | jonathan.mcknight@maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 01, 2016) – Lionfish have a lot going for them. They are a spectacular little fish, highly variable in coloration and carrying a halo of ornate fin spines that appear both delicate and menacing. Their spines can deliver a powerful toxic assault on a would-be predator or a […]
Contact: John Peter Thompson | ipetrus1@msn.com ORKerrie Kyde | Kerrie.Kyde@Maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 01, 2016) – Plume grass, or Ravennagrass (Saccharum ravennae, and many synonyms) is a botanical cousin to sugar cane. But its escape from ornamental plantings to naturalized patches is not so sweet. Reported as escaped in natural landscapes of the lower Chesapeake Bay and as […]
Contact: Aaron Cook | Aaron.Cook@Maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 01, 2016) – Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), also known as ailanthus, shumac, stinking sumac, stink-tree, copal tree, or Chinese sumac, is a common alien weed in many areas of the United States. Tree-of-heaven is a native of central China. It was first introduced into the United States in Philadelphia […]
Contact: Sylvan Kaufman | Sylvan.Kaufman@gmail.com ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 01, 2016) – One way to prevent new plant invasions is to be on the lookout for species that seem to be spreading into natural areas a little too aggressively. Which plants will be the next tree of heaven, running bamboo, or kudzu? Marylanders are on the lookout […]
Contact: Jay Kilian, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Resource Assessment Service | Jay.Kilian@maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 01, 2016) – The 2016 boating season is here and it is time for all boaters who enjoy Maryland waters to take an active role in protecting them from the scourge of invasive aquatic species. So as you prepare for […]
Contact: Robert Tatman, MD Department of Agriculture | Robert.Tatman@maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 01, 2016) – The spotted lanternfly, (Lycerma delicatula) is an invasive planthopper. It attacks many hosts including grape, pine, stone fruits and tree of heaven and has the potential to greatly impact the grape, fruit tree and logging industries. This is a new pest […]
Contact: Colleen.Kenny, MD Dept. of Natural Resources – Forest Service | Colleen.Kenny@maryland.gov ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 01, 2016) – The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive beetle that has been in Maryland since 2003 and continues to increase its range throughout the state. Since the original detection in Prince George’s County in 2003, the beetle has […]
Contact: Michael Ellis, M-MCPPC | michael.ellis@pgparks.com ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 01, 2016) – Spring is nearly here! Landscapes across Maryland will be covered in beautiful blooms of all kinds. But invasive wisteria species really take that concept to the next level, climbing to the tops of some of Maryland’s tallest trees, smothering and choking out other […]
Contact: Bob Tatman, MDA-FPM | robert.tatman@maryland.gov Photo: Jon Yuschock, Bugwood.org ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 01, 2016) – The gypsy moth was brought to Medford, Massachusetts by amateur naturalist Leopold Trouvelot in the late 1860s. Cotton was in short supply in the aftermath of the Civil War and Trouvelot hoped to use the webbing of the gypsy […]