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Moongooses free to roam
In the 1800's, a sugar cane planter in Hawaii brought 72 of the little animals to help control an overwhelming rat population. -
Kudzu Planted in U.S
In 1876 Kudzu was introduced to the U.S. at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Countries were allowed to build exhibits to celebrate the 100th year of the U.S. The Japanese government constructed a pretty garden filled with plants from their country. The large leaves and sweet-smelling blooms of kudzu captured the imagination of American gardeners who used the plant for ornamental purposes. -
Starlings let loose
Starlings are birds from Europe and North Africa. In 1890 Eugene Schieffelin let out 60 starlings in NYC. Aggressive,comfortable near people, and with no natural predators his starlings thrived. They now number over 200 million across the U.S. -
The hemlock woolly adelgid has been spotted
The hemlock woolly adelgid is a small aphid-like insect that feeds on several species of hemlock. The HWA is native to Japan and China and was introduced in the western U.S. in 1924. Populations of this pest in eastern North American forests have been unstoppable, but hemlocks growing in nurseries and landscapes can be managed through an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. -
Dutch Elm Diease spotted
Dutch elm disease, another invasive species in S.C, is caused by the vascular wilt fungus, Ophiostoma ulmi. This fungus is guided by two species of elm bark beetles: the smaller European elm bark beetle and the native elm bark beetle. It is also spread from plant to plant through root grafts between close trees. The dutch elm disease is from Asia -
Fire Ants on the move
Because of their attraction to electricity, fire ants are responsible for knocking out street lights, airport runway lights and countless household electrical devices. Fire ants came from South America, and were first documented in Alabama -
The Hydrilla
The Hydrilla is an aquatic plant from Africa and Asia. They were introduced as an aquarium plant in the 1950’s -
Brown tree snakes hitch a ride
Island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable, a fact that was driven home in the 1950's when brown tree snakes hitched a ride to Guam aboard U.S. military transport planes. The island, which had no native snakes and few natural predators, was quickly overrun as the highly venomous vipers decimated native animal species. -
Canadian Geese on the run
It's hard to believe, but a little over 100 years ago, over-hunting drove Canada geese close to extinction. New York State officials decided that the birds needed help if they were to survive and, from 1958 to 1963, wildlife experts released scores of geese into the state's forests. Before long huge flocks were settling throughout the state. Today, officials face the opposite problem: There are more than 200,000 geese in New York. -
The ambrosia beetle
The ambrosia beetle is a small, elongate, cylindrical beetle about 2 mm in length. It is native to Asia and was first detected on peach trees in Charleston in 1974. -
Burmese Pytons untangled
the Everglades are infested with an estimated 100,000 of the huge snakes, many of which are descended from abandoned pets. -
The Beach Vitex
The beach vitex is a shrub planted on beaches in the 1980s for beach stabilization. It is from the Pacific Rim. it has spread on beaches all over N.C. and S.C. and crowd native vegetation like wild oats. They are nicknamed “Kudzu of the Beach” -
African Rock Snake taking charge
African rock pythons (an even larger, more aggressive python species then Burmese pythons) have been found in the swamp, and experts worry that the new snakes might be breeding with Burmese pythons, resulting in what some officials have referred to as a "super snake." -
Chestnut Blight Detected
The Chestnut blight is an invasive species in S.C. which has virtually eliminated the american chestnut. It came from China and was first detected in New York in 2004. Chestnut once comprised one fourth to one-half of eastern U.S. forests, and was prized for its durable wood, and as a food for humans, livestock and wildlife. Today, only stump sprouts from killed trees remain. -
White Nose Syndrome in SC
On May 11 2013 (WNS) or White nose syndrome was confirmed to have made its way to S.C when a dead bat discovered recently at Table Rock State Park in Pickens County confirmed to have WNS.
