There’s a battle happening on our natural landscapes and our native species are losing—squeezed out by invasive species carried in by humans on purpose or by accident. Not all nonnative species are harmful, but those that are spread like crazy and disrupt the natural balance of things.
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Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)
Present in a few counties in Northeastern Ohio. The state asks anyone who sees one to kill it and report it using Ohio Department of Agriculture procedures. This bug eats and can kill woody and herbaceous plants, including grapes and hops.
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Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)
Has killed millions of hemlock trees in the Appalachian region. Deprives host tree of vital nutrients. Can be treated if caught early. Report any sighting to the state department of natural resources.
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Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Introduced in New York in 1898 as an ornamental plant, then used widely for wildlife cover and soil erosion control. Spreads wildly, blocking out the sun for native plants.
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Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)
Exists in low numbers in the Ohio River basin but feared to decimate fish populations if it reaches Lake Erie. Illegal as wild bait. See one? Report it to your state’s department of natural resources.
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Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Aggressive spreader known to dominate young and regenerating forests. Illegal to sell, grow, or plant in Ohio. Frowned upon in Kentucky.
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