Michigan's Invasive Species
Spotted lanternfly
Asian longhorned beetle
Asian longhorned beetles are an invasive wood-boring beetle that attacks 12 types of hardwood trees. It doesn't have any predators or diseases to keep the population down. It has not been discovered in Michigan yet.
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The spotted lanternfly feeds on more than 70 different plants including grapes, apples, hops and hardwood trees. A small population was detected in Pontiac and the United States Department of Agriculture confirmed the finding Aug. 10, 2022.
Spongy moth
Spongy moth caterpillars emerge from tan, fuzzy egg masses in April and feed on leaves through late June.
Adult beetles are about 3/8 inch in length and have a bright, metallic green head and body and metallic brown wings.
Japanese beetle
They were first discovered in Michigan in 2002 and have killed millions of ash trees in the state.
Emerald ash borer
The insects are not native to Michigan and can cause significant harm to Michigan’s hemlock trees.
Hemlock woolly adelgid
Widespread feeding can lead to significant defoliation and death of ornamental boxwood.
Box tree moth
It infests true fir trees, including balsam, fraser and concolor (white) fir in forests and landscapes in Michigan.
Balsam woolly adelgid
The brown marmorated stink bug is a 0.5-0.625-inch shield-shaped insect that uses its piercing mouthparts to suck plant juices from fruits, seed pods and nuts on many plants.
Stink bugs
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Mute swans
Mute swans are “one of the world’s most aggressive waterfowl species,” especially when they are nesting or raising their young. Each year the Michigan Department of Natural Resources receives reports of mute swans attacking people on boats and on shore. Mute swans also drive out native birds and other wetland wildlife. They will go as far as to chase native breeding birds from their nests.
Mountain pine beetle
Mountain pine beetle is an aggressive, persistent and destructive bark beetle.
Learn more about these insects at Michigan.gov
Invasive insects
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They are a concern because of how quickly populations spread.
Eurasian Collared Dove
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Rusty crayfish are voracious eaters, consuming 2-3 times as much per day as native crayfish.
Rusty Crayfish
Marbled crayfish have been found in streams, rivers, ditches, ponds, wetlands and retention basins.
Marbled crayfish
Killer shrimp exhibit cannibalistic habits and will occasionally eat conspecific young and weak adults.
Killer shrimp
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Red swamp crayfish
These crayfish live in a variety of permanent freshwater habitats. They burrow deep into the substrate and create large mounds of sand and soil called chimneys with a large hole in the center.
Their habits reduce the amount of habitat available for amphibians, invertebrates, and juvenile fish Their burrowing can lead to summer cyanobacteria blooms and eutrophic conditions.
Learn more about these crustaceans at Michigan.gov
Crustaceans
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These somewhat opportunistic omnivores feed primarily on rotting vegetation, but will settle for almost anything
Yabby
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The spiny waterflea causes major changes in the zooplankton community structure
Spiny Waterflea
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Insects
Birds
Crustaceans
Mammals
Plants
Worms
Diseases
Fish
Mollusks
Invasive Insects
Invasive Birds
Invasive Crustaceans
Invasive Mammals
Many of the wild boars found in Michigan escaped from game ranches. They carry disease, destroy crops, threaten animals and people.
Wild boar / Russian boar
These large, destructive, semi-aquatic rodents make their homes in farm ponds, drainage canals, bayous, freshwater and brackish marshes, swamps and rivers.
Nutria
Invasive Plants
Herbs
Grasses
Aquatic plants
Vines
Trees
Shrubs
Invasive Worm
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Jumping Worms
Jumping worms look similar to earthworms but can easily be identified because of the way they thrash around.
The worms have been detected in Michigan and pose a threat to the ecosystem because of the amount of leaf litter they consume.
They were first recorded in 2008 in Oakland County and officials suspect they could be widespread throughout the lower peninsula.
Mollusks
Fish
Diseases
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