by Danielle S. Williams | Feb 3, 2022
Air Potato Leaf Beetle
I’m sure many of you could easily recognize air potato with its winding vines and heart-shaped leaves climbing high along roadsides, fencerows and natural vegetation, but could you recognize its key predator, the air potato leaf beetle? Believe it or not, a small, red leaf-feeding beetle was introduced and is here to help control the invasive air potato vine!
The Issue with Air Potato Vine
Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a plant species that is native to Asia and was first introduced to the United States as a landscape plant but has now become one of Florida’s most problematic invasive plants. Air potato has spread to 60 of the 67 counties in Florida, including many in the Panhandle. Air potato vines can grow up to 8 inches per day! The dense vines smother vegetation and displace native plants, trees and animals. The air potato vine is on the Florida Noxious Weed List. This means that is illegal to plant, propagate or move the air potato unless you have a permit.
The air potato vine spreads by vegetative reproduction. This is through the formation of aerial tubers, or bulbils that are formed in the leaf axils. The aerial tubers are roundish and vary in size. In addition to aerial tubers, air potato also produces underground tubers, making control that much more difficult. During the winter, the aerial tubers will drop to the ground and give rise to new vines in the spring.
Park managers and homeowners throughout Florida have battled with the air potato as its covered our landscape. For years, the primary means of control were by manually pulling, digging and destroying the tubers or by herbicide applications, until recently.
Classical Biological Control of the Air Potato Vine
Another method for controlling invasive plants is with classical biological control. This method involves searching for insects that feed exclusively on a plant in its native range and releasing them in an area that has been invaded by the plant. Scientists with the United States Department of Agriculture discovered the air potato leaf beetle (Lilioceris cheni) that feeds on air potato in its native range of Asia. After extensive testing, scientist found that the beetle is species-specific and poses no risk to other plant species.
In 2012, air potato leaf beetles were first released in Florida to help battle the air potato. Now, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), they are officially established in the state! This means, they are here to stay and research has shown they are helping!
While you likely won’t see the beetles now, because they are overwintering (a period of suspended development), look for them in the spring! Adults are bright red with a black head and legs and about the size of your pinky fingernail. The females lay white, pale eggs on the underside of leaves. The egg-laying process causes the leaves to curl and cup. In addition to that, larvae feed on the leaves skeletonizing them. This feeding by the beetle negatively affects the growth and reproduction of the plant.
Skeletonized leaf damage to Air Potato from the Air Potato Leaf Beetle. Photo: Danielle Sprague
For more information on air potato leaf beetles, please visit:
by Rick O'Connor | Jan 27, 2022
What is the Weed Wrangle?
It is a national event held every February where members of local communities visit a public area to remove invasive plants. However, due to COVID, we are again doing it “virtually” this year. Virtually meaning that members of the local community work in their own yards to remove invasive plants. This year in the western Florida panhandle we are targeting the Chinese tallow, but of course you are welcome to remove ANY invasive plant you may have.
The round-ish ovate leaves of the Chinese Tallow.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
How do you DO the Weed Wrangle?
Step 1 – Survey your property to see if you have any Chinese tallow. This tree is also known by many as the “popcorn tree”. You can work with other members on your street who are interested and identify Chinese tallow on your block.
Step 2 – Confirm the identification. If you are sure it is Chinese tallow, and many are very familiar with this plant and is why we have chosen it, you are good to go. If not, you can contact your county extension office for verification.
Step 3 – Report the tree(s) to the national database EDDMapS at www.EDDMapS.org. There is a “report sightings” button on the tool bar. It will ask for latitude and longitude and you can get this information from your phone or a GPS or from google earth if you have it on your computer. Remember to type in longitude as a negative number, -87 in our case, so that it is reported in the correct hemisphere. NOTE: You are not allowed to report plants on someone else’s property without their permission, please get that before you do.
Step 4 – Remove it. Please take photo of the tree(s) BEFORE you remove. Not everyone wants to remove their Chinese tallow. Even though it is an invasive species and listed as a state noxious weed. Many enjoy the tree, and the color changes it provides. There is nothing illegal about having the tree in your yard, so you are fine. If you do choose to remove it there are methods that have been tested that work best. Contact your county extension office for those methods so that you are successful. Please take photo after removal.
Step 5 – Contact me – Rick O’Connor, Escambia County Extension, at roc1@ufl.edu to let me know you which steps you completed. I am tracking participation in this years Weed Wrangle. We will be doing this during the month of February. We also can enter you into a drawing for prizes!
If there are other invasive plants on your property you are interested in removing and want to know the best methods to do so, contact your county extension office and we can provide that for you. It would certainly be included in this years Weed Wrangle.
Thanks for helping stay on top of our invasive species problem.
Members of the Six Rivers CISMA remove Chinese tallow from a city park in Pensacola.
Photo: Kristal Walsh.
by Rick O'Connor | Jan 13, 2022
Six Rivers “Dirty Dozen” Invasive Species
Kudzu (Pueraria montana)
Kudzu is an aggressive growing vine found throughout the southeast.
Photo: UF IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define “Dirty Dozen” Species:
These are species that are well established within the CISMA and are considered, by members of the CISMA, to be one of the top 12 worst problems in our area.
Native Range:
Eastern Asia.
Introduction:
Kudzu was first brought to the U.S. for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Seven years later it was presented at the New Orleans Exhibition. Seed was sold to grow ornamental vines to shade porches and was also tried as livestock feed. It now covers about 2 million acres of forest land in the southern U.S.
EDDMapS currently list 11,288 records of the plant in the U.S. As with many “dirty dozen” species, this is certainly under reported. Most are in the southeastern U.S. but there are records in Kansas, Illinois, and Oregon. It has been reported throughout the state of Florida including the Florida panhandle, and all of the Six Rivers CISMA.
Description:
This is a semi-woody vine that can grow up to 100 feet. Most who have seen it, recognize it immediately. The leaves are large (4”) and alternate on the vine forming three leaflets at each node. The leaves are lobed with hairy margins. The vines can reach 4” in diameter and one stump found in Georgia was 12” in diameter. The flowers are purple in color, hang in clusters, and appear in late summer.
Issues and Impacts:
It grows almost anywhere and over almost anything. Entire buildings have been completely covered by this plant and it has also been known to grow over and uproot trees. Any vegetation it covers will soon die due to a lack of sunlight and it is also known to harbor insects and disease for native legumes, many of which are important agricultural crops, such as soybeans. It is listed as a state noxious weed.
Management:
This is a tough plant to control. It has been reported to grow as much as a foot a day. The root and rhizomes system are extensive and reach depths of 10 feet. There are also tubers that store excess carbohydrates that help with surviving drought, freezing, and even fires.
Herbicides are effective on small patches, though repeated applications may be needed. They can be used on large areas of infestation but will certainly take repeated applications over years and can be very expensive. Many will include burning, disking, or mowing before chemical applications to weaken the root system. Chemicals that have had some success include glyphosate, chlopyraild, metsulfuron, and aminopyralid.
Many have had success using livestock grazing, such as goats or cattle. Research has shown that close grazing, where 80% of more of the plant is removed, can completely eradicate it over a couple of years. One source recommends eight goats / acre for best results. Others have had some success by cutting the plant back (like grazing) during the hottest times of the year.
No biological controls have been approved yet, but research continues.
In Asia the plant is used in a variety of ways including food, fiber, and medicine. These could be options for management as well.
For more information on this Dirty Dozen species, contact your local extension office.
References
University of Florida IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Kudzu (Pueraria montana). https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/pueraria-montana/.
Frank, M.S. 2021. Five Facts: Kudzu in Florida. Florida Museum of Natural History. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/five-facts-kudzu-in-florida/.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
by Rick O'Connor | Dec 2, 2021
Six Rivers “Dirty Dozen” Invasive Species
Red Fire Ant (Solenopis invicta)
The red imported fire ant.
Photo: University of Florida Entomology and Nematology
Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define “Dirty Dozen” Species:
These are species that are well established within the CISMA and are considered, by members of the CISMA, to be one of the top 12 worst problems in our area.
Native Range:
The red fire ant is a native of central South America.
Introduction:
It is believed the first red fire ants entered the U.S. from Brazil into either Mobile AL or Pensacola FL between 1933 and 1945 via ship. As of 2008 they had been reported in 16 states stretching from the east to the west coast, albeit mostly southern states.
EDDMapS currently list 799 records of red fire ants in the U.S. This is certainly well under reported. Most of these are from the southeastern United States (including Texas) and three records from the Washington/Oregon area. There are only 15 records from Florida, 6 from the panhandle, and no records within the Six Rivers CISMA. Again, this is significantly underreported to EDDMapS. It is a well-known species in our area.
Description:
The body of the red imported fire ant is red brown in color with a black gaster (tail). The thin/skinny “waist” has two segments. The mounds are usually of soil and, if disturbed, aggressively defended by the colony. They like well-manicured lawns and in Florida’s sandy soils, may not form the large mounds found in clay-based soils. They differ from the native fire ant (Solenopsis geminate) in that workers of the native species have enlarged square heads – not found in the invasive red imported fire ant.
Issues and Impacts:
The red imported fire ant has become a pest for agriculture and urban communities alike. They can cause both medical and environmental harm.
In agriculture the ant is known to infest soybean fields. Large infestations can lower crop yield, and some states report large infestations impacting the ability to use combines for harvest, reducing yield. One paper reported $156 million in losses with the soybean industry. The ants will feed on the young developing plants of not only soybean but okra, cabbage, citrus, corn, bean, cucumber, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, peanut, sorghum, and sunflower crops. They are also a pest for livestock.
In urban communities they will nest almost anywhere including sidewalks, lawns, driveways, mailboxes, along the sides of homes. During heavy rains they will seek higher ground sometimes entering houses and forming floating mats of live ants that have been problems after storm events. The sting is quite painful. Ants will both bite with their mandibles and inject a venom with a spine on their gaster. The venom is an alkaloid mixture that exhibits potent necrotoxic activity (destroys tissue). The reactions to fire ant stings vary depending on the individual from mild pain to anaphylactic shock. The actual medical cost from the fire ant invasion is unknown. Not only do they sting humans, but pets as well. Fire ants have been found in electrical systems and have caused short circuiting.
These ants have had an impact on native wildlife as well. Ground nesting birds and rodents will cease in areas where the ants colonize, and it is known that they have impacted the protected gopher tortoise populations.
Management:
There are two plans of attack on fire ant management but no long term effective method is known. (1) individual mounds, (2) wide area broadcast application.
Individual Mound
- Liquids poured over the mound can be effective. These liquids can be hot water or insecticide products mixed with water. There are numerous fire ant insecticides available. However, if the queen is not killed (living deep in the mound), recolonization is probable.
- Dusting involves sprinkling an insecticide dust over the mound, and then watering it in.
- Mound injections is an option. Here tools are used to inject the insecticide into the mound. This can be more expensive and hazardous to the handler.
- Baits can be placed on the mound where the colony spreads it through out. This can be very effective but slow going.
- There are certain mechanical and electrical devices on the market, but their efficacy is not well tested.
Some suggest that only 20% of a colony is feeding at any one time and that many insecticides are not as effective. The timing of the control is important. Comprehensive fire ant management information can be found in the Extension publication, Managing Imported Fire Ants in Urban Areas.
Broadcast Applications
Most of the broadcast sprays involve baits or dust products. They can be effective but are often sprayed in locations where the ants cannot find them or become inactive by the time they do.
Biological Control
Biological controls using native predators must be tested to assure they do not have a negative impact on the native flora and fauna. Two potential biological controls, a protozoan and a fungus, are currently being tested along with others.
Phorid flies (which are parasites on fire ants) have been released in the southeast U.S. by the USDA. These colonies of flies have expanded beyond the area where they were released.
Home Remedies
Home remedies including club soda, grits, soap, wood ashes, and shoveling mounds together have shown to be ineffective.
For more information on this Dirty Dozen species, contact your local extension office.
References
Red Imported Fire Ant. Solenopsis invicta. Featured Creatures. University of Florida Entomology and Nematology. https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/red_imported_fire_ant.htm.
Fire Ants. University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/fire-ants.html.
Fire Ants in Florida. University of Florida Blogs. https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/fire-ants-in-florida/.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
by Rick O'Connor | Dec 2, 2021
EDRR Invasive Species
Apple Snails (Pomace sp.)
The Apple Snail
Photo: Alabama Cooperative Extension
Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define EDRR Species: Early Detection Rapid Response. These are species that are either –
- Not currently in the area, in our case the Six Rivers CISMA, but a potential threat
- In the area but in small numbers and could be eradicated
Native Range:
There are four species of apple snails in Florida. One, the Florida Apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) is native to the state – thus not invasive.
The island apple snail (P. maculata) is from South America and has been problematic.
The spiked-topped apple snail (P. diffusa) is from Brazil and has not been reported to have caused problems.
The channeled apple snail (P. canaliculata) is from South American and has been very problematic for farmers. It is considered one of the top 100 invasive species problems in the U.S.
Introduction:
There are records of some species being introduced as early as the 1950s as part of the pet trade – particularly for aquariums.
EDDMapS currently list 971 records of all apple snail species. The distribution map indicates they are concentrated in the southeastern United States, though some report the channeled apple snail in Hawaii and California. 30 of those records are in the Florida panhandle and 1 within the Six Rivers CISMA.
There are 579 records of the island apple snail. All are from the Florida, 62 from the panhandle, and 1 from the Six Rivers CISMA.
There are 27 records of the highly invasive channeled apple snail. All 27 are from Florida, 18 are from the Jacksonville area but there are two records from the panhandle, and both are from Panama City.
There are 24 records of the spiked-top apple snail. All are from Florida, and all are from the peninsula part of the state. There are no records in the panhandle.
There are 6 records of the Titian apple snail (P. haustrum). All are from the Miami area.
THE ONLY SPECIES REPORTED IN SIX RIVERS IS THE ISLAND APPLE SNAIL – WHICH IS A PROBLEM ONE.
THERE ARE RECORDS OF THE CHANNELED APPLE SNAIL – ONE OF THE WORST INVASIVE SPECIES IN THE U.S. – IN THE PANAMA CITY AREA.
Description:
These are relatively large freshwater snails with round shells that are olive green or brown in color (some are yellow) and have a large aperture (opening) where the snail exposes itself from the shell. The smallest (the native Florida apple snail) may be 2-3 inches in size, but the island apple snail can reach 5 inches. They are not easy to tell apart.
Issues and Impacts:
The issue is the consumption of vegetation. The native Florida apple snail feeds on epiphytes and periphyton that grow on the submerged, and emergent, aquatic plants of the Florida. However, the invasive varieties (island and channeled) feed directly on the vegetation and can be quite destructive of native wetlands and agricultural crops.
Management:
There have been attempts to use chemicals to control the invasive varieties of the apple snails, but with little success. Hand removal is best option now. There are several native animals that have been know to prey on all varieties of apple snails and this has helped. Apple snails attached their eggs to blades and leaves of aquatic and subaquatic plants above the water line. You can scrape these eggs off into the water and they will die. HOWEVER, THE INVASIVE APPLE SNAIL EGGS ARE PINK. THE NATIVE EGGS ARE WHITE – SCRAP ONLY PINK APPLE SNAIL EGGS INTO THE WATER.
DO NOT DISCHARGE UNWANTED AQUARIUM PETS INTO LOCAL WATERWAYS.
For more information on this EDRR species, contact your local extension office.
References
Fasulo, T.R. 2021. Apple Snails of Florida, Pomacea Spp. (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae ). University of Florida IFAS Extension. Electronic Data Information System Document #EENY323. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/in598.
Florida Apple Snails. 2021. Shining a Spotlight on Florida’s Apple Snail Populations. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. https://myfwc.com/research/freshwater/species-assessments/mollusks/apple-snails/.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
by Rick O'Connor | Oct 21, 2021
Six Rivers “Dirty Dozen” Invasive Species
Feral Hog (Sus scrofa)
Wild Hog
Photo: University of Florida
Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define “Dirty Dozen” Species:
These are species that are well established within the CISMA and are considered, by members of the CISMA, to be one of the top 12 worst problems in our area.
Native Range:
The feral hog in Florida today is believed to be the descendants of a hybrid between domestic pigs and wild boars in Europe.
Introduction:
These animals were introduced by the Spanish colonists during the 1500s. It is known that Ponce de Leon brought pigs with him in 1521 but it is not known what happened when this expedition failed. It is known that in 1539, Hernando de Soto did bring European pigs and began raising them using the free-range method. The term “feral” refers to domesticated animals that escaped and now live as “wild” animals. The term “feral hogs” is used for both the original European releases and any domesticated hogs that may have escaped.
It is now believed that there are breeding pairs of “wild pigs/feral hogs” in 39 states. Population estimates in the Florida are believed to be greater than 500,000. Most are west and north of Lake Okeechobee.
EDDMapS currently list 6,666 records of feral hogs in the U.S. This is certainly under reported. There are 243 records from Florida, 45 of those in the panhandle, and 26 within the Six Rivers CISMA. Again, this is significantly underreported to EDDMapS.
Description:
Feral hogs are usually brown, black, or brindle in color, juveniles may have stripes. They can reach five to six feet in length and weigh up to 250 pounds.
Issues and Impacts:
The primary issue with feral hogs in their rooting behavior. These animals will destroy a lot of habitat rooting under the soil with their snouts and hooves looking for roots, tubers, and fungus to eat. They destroy native vegetation, some of which are protected species, as well as altering the soil chemistry completely changing the environment. They are also known to carry disease that can be transmitted to livestock and, in some cases, to humans. It has been estimated that feral hogs cause over $2 billion in damage to agricultural products annually.
They also love acorns and compete heavily with local deer and turkey populations for this food source, impacting those populations. They are known nest raiders and impact the nesting of native turtles and ground nesting birds. They are not beyond grabbing small livestock from local farms.
Management:
On private land, feral hogs are considered livestock and can be removed with owner permission. There are no bag limits or closed seasons when hunting on these lands. On public lands there can be seasons and licenses/permits required. Hunting, trapping, and exclusion are all methods being used. Methods of trapping include cages. The types, and effectiveness, are addressed in the UF IFAS EDIS publication UW3222. Exclusion usually involves fencing and the best methods are also explained in UF IFAS EDIS UW322. However, hogs are intelligent animals and often find ways around fences. Trapping is considered the most effective method.
For more information on this Dirty Dozen species, contact your local extension office.
References
1 Boughton R.K., B. Wight. 2021. Wildlife of Florida Fact Sheet: Feral Swine. University of Florida IFAS. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW442.
2 Giulianio W.M. 2021. Wild Hogs in Florida: Ecology and Management. University of Florida IFAS. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW322.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
