Hello invasive species watchers,

I recently came across an article from KOIN 6 about a large number of Japanese Beetle sightings this summer where Washington County meets Portland. Any of you who have lived in the eastern US or have family there are probably familiar with how troublesome Japanese Beetles are for anyone who has a rose garden or a turf lawn. My aunt and uncle catch hundreds in their Chicago garden every year, not something I'd like to see for us in Oregon! Japanese beetles love to eat lots of species and cause a lot of damage. Oregon has been successfully working to keep them from becoming established here for decades. The ODA has isolated the current population for now and is working on a plan to possibly eradicate them from the area.

The ODA is urging the public to refrain from spraying pesticides on your own. If you see any beetles or signs of damage by larvae to lawns, please report here and call ODA at 1-800-525-0137 or 503-986-4644, especially if you see any signs of Japanese Beetles outside the Washington County/Portland area.

My first science job was as an insect trapper with the ODA. Every summer thousands of traps are placed throughout Oregon, with beetle traps concentrating around Portland International Airport which is the most common pathway for these beetles. They fly into cargo planes in the east and hitch a ride all the way to Portland. Planes are sprayed with insecticide to kill beetles and other pests, so part of the ODA's job entails walking through empty cargo planes with a flashlight looking for beetles. The ODA also traps for gypsy moths and several other insect pests. I've always been grateful for all the great work ODA has done to keep these species out of our gardens and natural areas as well as all the other great insect management and early detection work they do.

-Lindsey

Our most recent add to the Oregon iMapInvasives species list is Amynthas agrestis, also known as Asian Jumping Worm or Crazy Snake Worm. This invasive earthworm is found in several other US states and affects forests by depleting the leaf litter layer that other native species and forest processes depend on. How the worm arrived in Oregon is unknown but it may have been brought in for residential worm composting or through international shipping. Sites have been confirmed in Clackamas and Josephine counties, implying that it is likely present in other sites in Oregon as well. Learn more through this OPB article and Think Out Loud piece.

Kyle Spinks with Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec recently found the remains of a Red Swamp Crayfish in Cedar Hills west of Portland. These crayfish are native to the SE US but are invasive on the west coast. They get moved around as bait for fishing and sometimes are released as pets or from restaurants or aquariums. Unfortunately, non-native crayfish like the Red Swamp Crayfish and the Rusty Crayfish threaten native fish, amphibians, crayfish, and plants by eating them and competing with them for food and shelter. Once established, non-native crayfish populations are very tricky and expensive to get rid of. Learn more about the impacts, laws, and management practices for crayfish in the Pacific NW from Oregon SeaGrant.

You can help prevent their spread by never releasing live crayfish into the wild, and by learning to identify our native Signal crayfish from non-native crayfish and reporting any non-native crayfish sightings here or at the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline. Our native Signal crayfish is invasive in California, so remember don't move species outside their native ranges, and don't let it loose!

Happy observing!
Lindsey