ESA’s Invasive Species Position Statement

Click here for the full statement. Notice the formal definition of “invasive species” –

“‘Invasive species’ means an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or
environmental harm or harm to human health” Executive Order 13112 (1999)”

I would like to highlight recommendation#2 “Create a rapid-response funding and authorization mechanism to eradicate or stop the spread of invasive species; and recommendation# “Create a National Invasive Species Intervention Network (NISIN).”

Asian longhorned tick Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Tick IPM #3: Asian Longhorned Tick IPM. Dina and Matt Bickerton will be giving this webinar on July 13. See link for registration.

The Asian giant hornet has been re-detected in 2020, two queens

May 29, 2020 – update. The Washington State Department of Agriculture reported on their website that the first US Vespa mandarinia of 2020 was detected near Custer, WA on May 27 by a resident. It was a queen, consistent with the stage that would have overwintered. The locations indicate a localized infestation – i.e. it is highly unlikely the species will be detected outside the Pacific NW this year. Here’s a link to a video press conference (click).

May 28, 2020 – The New York Times reports two confirmed collections of Vespa mandarinia in May 2020. One in British Columbia, Canada near Langley, and the other in Washington state. Both are locations in the Pacific northwest relatively close to the original discovery in Washington State although apparently farther north and south than originally expected. Odds are that the species is established, but “hope springs eternal”. While not yet published it appears there is genetic evidence of at least two separate introductions.

Deja vu anyone??

Invasive hornet (maybe)

May 20, 2020 – These are not new news but old news: Asian giant hornets (AGH), including a nest later destroyed, were detected in western Canada (British Columbia) last summer (2019). Later, in December, a dead AGH specimen and some suspicious evidence of large numbers of dead (decapitated) honeybees were detected in a couple of locations in Washington State. For details developed to provide information to the public that is starting to think any large insects is an AGH click here.

Contacted in late April, Sven-Erik Spichiger from the Washington State Department of Agriculture confirmed that no detections of the species have been made so far in 2020. Click here for a mapped tally of putative detections. The photo above was provided by Sven-Erik for the information sheet developed by Michelle Infante-Casella and William Bamka. Thanks!

Late night update: From Karla Salp, WSDA “nothing new to report! No new confirmed Asian giant hornet sightings in Washington.”