Invasive Species
ORIENTAL BITTERSWEET OUT-COMPETING NATIVE SPECIES
The Oriental Bittersweet plant is known as Celastrus orbiculatus. According to the DNR, the oriental bittersweet plant is already established throughout Michigan. Celastrus Orbiculatus was brought to the states from Japan, China, Korea and other parts of Asia in the late 1800s. Their proliferation in Michigan is due to the dispersal of seeds by birds and pollinators. The invasive…
Read MorePURPLE LOOSESTRIFE AND MICHIGAN'S ECOSYSTEMS
Purple Loosestrife is such a pretty plant! Of course it’s pink/purple flowers catches the eye, but is it benefiting our Michigan ecosystems? The species was introduced to the states from various parts of Asia and this pretty plant has made its way into almost every state in the US. Read on to see the affects…
Read MoreMUTE SWAN AN AGGRESSIVE INVASIVE
It might look like your average Michigan swan, well it’s not! Mute Swan can often be perceived as native swan. The most noticeable feature which distinguishes the species from native swan species; has to be beak appearance. Trumpeter Swan usually have black beaks, while adult male Mute Swan has an orange beak. Michigan swan are…
Read MoreINVASIVE WATCHLIST | GIANT AFRICAN LAND SNAIL
With invasive threats on the rise, it’s been essential for Michigan to continue to protect not only our natural resources, but to also take into consideration our economy, and the effects nonnative species can have on it. The food and agriculture industry contributes $101.2 billion annually to the state’s economy, and accounts for nearly 22%…
Read MoreINVASIVE WATCHLIST | CHINESE MITTEN CRAB
The Chinese mitten crab may pose serious threats to the future of fishing in Michigan if precautions aren’t taken; though the species technically hasn’t been detected in Michigan yet there have been few reports of it making its way into the Detroit River as well as one caught in Lake Erie, back in 2007. The…
Read MoreINVASIVE SPECIES WATCHLIST | EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE
The Eurasian Collared-Dove was originally native to India and Sri Lanka, and from the 1600’s and on has expanded its range one hundred fold, being a relatively new species to North America and Michigan, the Eurasian collared-dove is destined to become the next abundant alien species in the coming decades. Making its way into Florida…
Read MoreINVASIVE BARK BEETLES | THE PINE SHOOT BEETLE
With holiday spirit in the air, it ’tis the season where we begin bringing out the boxes of some of our favorite holiday decorations. As the twinkling lights and garland are strung, Christmas trees are on the mind. As we head out to the tree farms in anticipation of picking the ‘perfect’ Christmas tree, we…
Read MoreMICHIGAN'S FOREST | BEECH BARK DISEASE
The discovery of beech bark disease in 2000 forever changed the dynamic of Michigan’s hardwood forests, both in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. It’s first outbreak in North America occurred in Nova Scotia (a Canadian province) around 1890 by accident from an infected ornamental, from there it spread south and west, reaching the United States…
Read MoreINVASIVE SPECIES THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN | PRIVET
Crisp, frosty mornings mean falls finally here and people are heading out to the woods. The leaves are falling, which means it’s a great time to spot nonnative plants that bloom later in the year, like privet. Privet refers to any number of shrubs or trees in the genus Ligustrum, which has over 50 species in the…
Read MoreIn the Field: Feral Swine – A Michigan Issue?
by Anna Mitterling, Wildlife Cooperative Coordinator, MUCC When I was in college, I worked for the DNR Wildlife Division as a Student Assistant. This position formulated a lot of my early views on hunting, management, and the purpose of a State Agency. I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the views of various…
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