What are the invasive species threatening NY ecosystems?

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York is no stranger to the variety of wildlife that roams its forests, waters and beyond. But while many species are crucial in maintaining the health and beauty of the state's ecosystems, some non-native species pose serious threats.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), invasive species are non-native plants, animals and pathogens that negatively impact the local environment. They can be spread through world travel and trade, intentionally transported for use as exotic pets or agricultural plants, or accidentally carried to new locations on luggage, firewood and clothing.

Because these species are not from here, there are typically no predators, diseases or parasites that can control their populations. As a result, the species is able to reproduce and spread quickly, disrupting ecosystems, harming native species and reducing the overall quality of the environment.

New York has its fair share of invasive species, both on land and in the water. Take a look at some of the invasive species that can be found within the state.

Spotted Lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect from Asia that primarily feeds on trees of heaven but can also feed on grapevines, hops, maple, walnut and fruit trees. The SLF was first found in New York in 2020 and, while its full impacts are so far unknown, the DEC says the insect will negatively affect the agricultural and tourism industry and may also impact the state's forests.

Newly hatched SLF are black with white spots and turn red before becoming adults. Adult SLF begin to appear in July and are around 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide at rest. Their forewings are grayish with black spots and the lower parts of their hindwings are red with black spots. The upper parts are dark with a white stripe.

Some signs that a tree has been infested with SLP include:

• Sap oozing from tiny open wounds on tree trunks, appearing wet and may give off a fermented odor
• One-inch-long egg masses that are brownish-gray, wavy and mud-like when new; old egg masses are brown and scaly
• SLF excrete liquid waste called honeydew that builds up under plants, which sometimes leads to the growth of black sooty mold

Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle from Asia that feeds on all native ash trees in New York. After being accidentally transported to the U.S. in infested crates, it has killed millions of ash trees and has cost billions of dollars in damage and loss.

An adult EAB is small — roughly 3/8 to 5/8 of an inch long — with metallic green wing covers and coppery red or purple abdomens. They are most abundant in June and July but can be seen through September.

Some signs that an ash tree is infested with EAB include:

• "Blonding" of the trunk due to woodpeckers pecking off the outer bark in search of the larvae
• Tree canopy dieback, yellowing or browning of leaves
• Distinct D-shaped exit holes in the bark
• S-shaped larvae galleries under the bark

Spongy Moth

The spongy moth is a non-native insect from France. The caterpillars are known to feed on the leaves of trees like willow, maple, apple, crabapple and more, but they tend to prefer oak. According to the DEC, spongy moths have "naturalized" in the state's forests, so they will always be around.

Although the spongy moth can damage thousands of acres of trees, they do not pose a serious threat to New York's forests overall. That being said, spongy moths can negatively impact the health of individual trees by making them more susceptible to pests and disease or causing tree death.

Round Goby

Round goby is a highly invasive bottom-dwelling fish from Europe's Black and Caspian Seas. They are brownish-gray in color with dark brown or black splotches.

Round goby are typically found in freshwater but can also tolerate mildly saline waters. They are now present in all of the Great Lakes and have spread through the Erie Canal and Mohawk River to the Hudson River. They also continue to spread to inland lakes.

Water Chestnut

Water chestnut is an aquatic invasive plant that is native to Eurasia and Asia. The water chestnut invades shallow areas of freshwater lakes, ponds, slow-moving streams and rivers.

The plant, which forms in dense mats, has been found in more than 40 counties in New York State. Water chestnut shades out native aquatic plants that provide food and shelter to native fish, waterfowl and insects, and, when it decomposes, reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the water and sometimes even kills fish.

Other terrestrial and aquatic invasive species in New York include:

• Giant hogweed
• Hemlock woolly adelgid
• Oak wilt
• Beef leaf disease
• Southern pine beetle
• Hydrilla
• Starry Stonewort
• Northern snakehead
• Sea lamprey
• Spiny waterflea
• Green fleece
• Devil's tongue weed
• Sea potato/oyster thief
• Siphoned feather weed
• Green crab
• Lionfish
• Mitten crab
• Peppermint shrimp
• Pink-spotted sea anemone
• Rockpool shrimp
• Shore crab

The DEC stresses the importance of preventing the spread of invasive species in order to reduce negative impacts on the state's ecosystems. Some tips include using local firewood, following state requirements before launching any watercraft into public waterbodies and using native plants when gardening and landscaping. Full guidelines and other resources, including ways to report invasive species sightings, can be found on the DEC Invasive Species webpage.