What Invasive Species Are In Your Area?

[Outside Bend]

Just in my neighborhood?

Collared dove, starling, English sparrow, feral cat, house mouse, pigeon, western mosquitofish, common carp, grass carp, cabbage butterflies, honeybee, Norway maple, bush honeysuckle, crown vetch, multiflora rose, zoysia, periwinkle, ground ivy, henbit, Chinese mantis, autumn olive, various other forbs. You could probably include Osage orange in that list, too.

[Al Agnew]

Most people would be amazed at the number of plant species in Missouri that are not native. All kinds of what many consider to be wildflowers were introduced from Europe. Others hitched rides on vehicles.

One species that kinda bums me out is the house finch. House finches were introduced into the St. Louis area several decades ago, and for many years they did okay right in the area where they were introduced, but didn't spread. Then suddenly they just exploded all over the place. I can remember seeing my first one where I live, just 60 miles from St. Louis, no more than 25 years ago. In a period of about ten years, the native purple finches that always came to our feeders in the winter almost totally disappeared, their place taken by house finches. Once in a great while I'll see a purple finch or two, but the house finches go through the bird food by the ton. And that makes me sad, because purple finches were always one of my favorite birds.

[gotmuddy]

trout in good SMB rivers

[ness]

Not so hasty young man. As Ness says, all cutthroats are not equal. There are four sub-species in Colorado.

During the greenback cutthroat trout recovery program, western slope cutthroat were unknowingly mixed with greenback cutthroat. That little gaffe just about wiped out all the greenbacks that are left.

A recent study found that the only pure blooded greenbacks left are on one stream at Pike's Peak.

http://wildlife.stat...ressRelease.pdf

Pretty sad stuff.

Many of the cutthroat where I live are stocked invaders....and ANY you have in Missouri are invaders...

...but I was speaking from a Midwestern perspective. If we were going to do Colorado invaders that list would be substantially longer. Brook trout, lake trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass, etc., etc.

What's the fourth, Tim? Never mind -- just read the article. Pretty interesting and timely stuff. I had heard they thought the Greenback broodstock might be contaminated. Cool that they've figured all that out, and cooler still that they found a pure strain to build from.

It's also interesting to see all these other invasive species listed. I tend to think of kudzu, zebra mussels, carp, etc. -- things that cause problems and are publicized.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'm too lazy to look right now, but I believe wheat would make the list.

[Flysmallie]

I'm too lazy to look right now, but I believe wheat would make the list.

Kevin Wheat? Yes he is pretty invasive isn't he.

[Tim Smith]

What's the fourth, Tim? Never mind -- just read the article. Pretty interesting and timely stuff. I had heard they thought the Greenback broodstock might be contaminated. Cool that they've figured all that out, and cooler still that they found a pure strain to build from.

Yellowfin, but I guess you saw that already. They're extinct so it doesn't really matter for anyone planning their next trip.

I like your optimism about greenback trout. Hope they manage to get some of them isolated before fire season next year. One stream is a pretty small basket to carry the eggs for a whole species.

[ness]

Yellowfin, but I guess you saw that already. They're extinct so it doesn't really matter for anyone planning their next trip.

I like your optimism about greenback trout. Hope they manage to get some of them isolated before fire season next year. One stream is a pretty small basket to carry the eggs for a whole species.

Yeah -- Yellowfin. That's a pretty interesting story in itself.

I can't say I'm optimistic -- just glad they found those in Bear Creek, and appear to have them started over at a hatchery (even if their record at hatcheries is less than stellar).

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think the subject is much broader than we realize and almost impossible to answer. Most only need to look at their lawn to see one.

[Quillback]

I remember reading that Kentucky bluegrass is actually from Europe.