Scaryus eatumupis

2. Scaryus eatumupis • Over past 200 years, several thousand foreign plant & animal species have become established in the US!

3. 1 in 7 has become INVASIVE • Push aside native species • Harm human health and the environment • Reduce productivity & ecological balance

4. Where do they come from?? • Enter the United States by: • Cower in crates • Snuggle in ships • Hide inside fruits, vegetables, & meats • Carried on clothing • “Hitchhiking Pests and Diseases”

6. Where did it Come From? • 1869: a French Monk brought some Gypsy Moths to the U.S. to experiment with them. Some escaped. • 1993: a ship docked in North Carolina, opened its cargo hold, and dozens of Gypsy Moths were released.

7. Discussion Time! • Red Fish go to corner #1. • Seahorse go to corner #2. • Shark go to corner #3. • Manta Ray go to corner #4. • How could you have stopped the spread of the moths? • Would you have warned anyone about their release?

8. Where did it Invade? • The first Gypsy Moths invaded Massachusetts and now reside in 15 states. • 1993: invasion originated in NC and has spread through the South Eastern U.S.

9. Niche? • 4 stages of life: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa, adult. • Eat leaves and spends its day foraging for food. • It has no known predators in the U.S. • Talk to your table: If there are no predators in the US, do you think they have predators in other countries? Why? What animals can you think of?

10. Effect on Environment It Invaded • Current U.S. Gypsy Moth population could eat all of the leaves on 13 million acres of trees in 1 season. • How could this be a devastating effect on the forest ecosystem? Talk to your table. • Caterpillars crawl on homes and fall in pools making outdoor activities hard to enjoy.

12. Where did it invade? • 1984: European cargo ship was emptied in Lake Huron. It accidentally let loose the water flea that was trapped inside. • 1987: it could be found in all five Great Lakes.

13. Niche? • Reproduce rapidly =10 babies every 2 weeks • Lay eggs in winter & hatch in summer • Eat plankton • Predators cannot eat the flea because the barbs on its tail choke the fish • Crustacean

14. Effect on the Environment it Invaded? • The threat posed by the flea is not completely understood • High reproductive rate • Devour native plankton • What do you think the loss of plankton means to the environment? Talk to your table. • Damage to lake’s ecosystem causing harm to other species in the food chain.

16. Where is It From? • Nutria are native to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. • 1899: Brought to US to be used in the fur trade

17. Where Did It Invade? • 1930: nutria were released on an island in Louisiana to start a commercial breeding farm. Several animals escaped. • Spread throughout the Southern U.S • Can be found throughout the entire U.S

18. Niche? • Live in streams, lakes, ponds, and swamps • Eat both water and land plants. • Reproduce rapidly • Swim and have buck teeth like beavers • Hosts for many parasites

19. Effect on Environment It Invaded • Eat all the plants and leave nothing but mud • Native species have nothing to eat • Eat agricultural crops like cabbage and lettuce • Host many parasites and pass parasites to native wildlife and humans leading to outbreaks of disease!

20. Discussion Time! Talk to your table: How do you feel about this? Talk about your feelings both positive and negative so far about non-native species.

22. Where Is It From? • Native to the Sahara in East Africa • 1966: a boy smuggled 3 African snails into the U.S. as pets

23. Where did it Invade? • Miami, Florida: His grandmother eventually released the snails into her garden. • 7 years later more than 180,000 snails were found in Florida. • It took the state of Florida 10 years and over $1 million to get rid of these pests!

24. Talk to your table! From this example, is it easy for just one person to introduce a new species to a new environment?

25. Niche? • Much larger than native snails and therefore out competes them • Hibernate to survive the cold months • Reproduces fast = 1,200 eggs per year! • It eats 500 types of plants • Host for many parasites

26. Effect on Environment it Invaded • Can pass on diseases to humans and wildlife • Lives a long time (9 years) • It can out-compete native snails for food • Eats melons and papaya • Hibernates = can survive almost anywhere in the U.S.

27. Discussion Time! Each table: person whose first name is the longest go to corner #1 Person whose first name is the next longest got to corner #2 Person whose first name is the next longest go to corner #3 Remaining person go to corner #4

28. Question What have you learned so far about non-native species? Be prepared to share with the class!

30. Where Did It Invade • Invaded the island of Guam (a U.S. territory)! • Since WW II, the snake has taken over almost all of the island! • There are as many as 12,000 snakes per mile on Guam!!

31. Where Is It From? • The Brown Tree Snake is native to Australia. • It was brought over concealed in a WW II military transport plane.

32. Niche? • Mildly venomous and kills its prey by injecting venom. • Very good climber as it forages for food and water. • Nocturnal • Eats lizards, birds, and small mammals. • Lays 12 eggs at a time 2 times each year

33. Effect on Environment it Invaded • Too late to save Guam’s wildlife from the snake. It has decimated the native population of birds, mammals, and amphibians. • Climb along electric wires causing power outages every 6 days! • Raid homes killing pet birds! • Reached carrying capacity on Guam and are searching out habitat elsewhere! • Climbed aboard ships and made it to Hawaii 6 times. (Luckily they were caught…it would only take one pregnant female…….) • What a great movie this would make!

34. Time to talk! Corner #1: Whose birthday month comes first at your table! Corner #2: Whose birthday month comes second! Corner #3: Whose birthday month comes third! Corner#4: Whose birthday month comes last!

35. Discuss! Why do you think people bring non-native species into other countries? Do you think they really know the consequences? What can you do to help?