invasive species

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German Rats Are Busted Attacking Bats Midair
Bats in Germany Had Better
Watch Out for the Rats
NEW STUDY
Oct 29, 2025 10:30 AM CDT

Bats in Germany Had Better Watch Out for the Rats

Urban rodents are recorded hunting bats that are flying by or on the ground

(Newser) - Rats are now on record as bat hunters. Infrared and thermal cameras set up at hibernation sites in two northern German towns captured brown rats in the act, with footage showing the rodents standing upright to snatch bats out of midair or ambushing them on the ground. This marks the...

California Is Getting Tough on 'Aquatic Feral Pigs'

New law allows hunters to kill mute swans at any time

(Newser) - California hunters will soon have the green light to kill mute swans, a move state officials say is aimed at controlling a "destructive, non-native" species. Starting Jan. 1, anyone with a hunting license can take the birds at any time, while landowners and lessees are allowed to do so...

2 Places on Earth Had No Skeeters. Now, Just One

Scientists confirm cold-resistant species in Iceland for the first time

(Newser) - Iceland, one of the world's last mosquito-free zones, has finally been breached by the insect. The discovery, confirmed by entomologist Matthias Alfredsson at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, marks a significant shift for a nation long shielded by its cold climate. Citizen scientist Bjorn Hjaltason first spotted the...

In Vermont, They're 'Goatscaping'
In Vermont, They're
'Goatscaping'
Oct 5, 2025 3:00 PM CDT

In Vermont, They're 'Goatscaping'

Vermont ski areas are employing goats and sheep to clear the slopes

(Newser) - Months before the first snow beckons skiers, sheep and goats are hitting the slopes in Vermont. As the AP reports, dozens of animals have been mowing down overgrown vegetation at Jay Peak near the Canadian border. They're expected to clear 25 acres over a five-week stint, an experiment officials...

Lanternfly Swarm Is So Huge It Shows Up on Weather Radar

Invasive insects are now dense enough in mid-Atlantic states to mimic rain on radar

(Newser) - Weather radar across the mid-Atlantic lit up on Thursday with colorful patterns typically associated with rain, despite clear skies. The culprit this time wasn't precipitation, but a surge of spotted lanternflies—an invasive species now so numerous that they're detectable by radar. The insects, originally from Southeast...

Invasive Tick Found in Maine for the First Time

Even one Asian longhorned tick can cause an infestation, lab warns

(Newser) - Researchers have confirmed the presence of an invasive species of tick in Maine for the first time, marking the farthest northeast in the US the pest has been discovered. The University of Maine and state conservation officials said Monday they confirmed the presence of the Asian longhorned tick in the...

Florida's Python Hunt Scores a Record Haul

Hunters remove nearly 300 invasive snakes in 10 days

(Newser) - A record haul marked this year's Florida Python Challenge, with nearly 300 Burmese pythons removed from the wild, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. The 10-day event, which ran from July 11 to 20, saw a significant jump in participation—934 hunters from 30 states...

Robot Rabbits Join Florida's Fight Against Invasive Snakes
In Fight Against Pythons,
Florida Stuffs 40 Toy Bunnies
in case you missed it
Aug 9, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

In Fight Against Pythons, Florida Stuffs 40 Toy Bunnies

Robotic rabbits join state's battle against invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades

(Newser) - Florida's ongoing battle with invasive Burmese pythons has gone high tech, with wildlife teams now deploying robotic rabbits to help find and capture the elusive snakes. The solar-powered, remote-controlled decoys look and smell like marsh rabbits—favored python prey—and even emit heat signatures to lure the snakes...

Invasive Mushrooms Are Threatening Midwest Forests
Invasive Mushrooms Are
Threatening Midwest Forests
NEW STUDY
Jul 21, 2025 10:09 AM CDT

Invasive Mushrooms Are Threatening Midwest Forests

Study finds golden oyster mushrooms crowd out native species, cutting fungal diversity in half

(Newser) - Golden oyster mushrooms, a visually striking and culinarily-favored species native to Asia, are now rapidly taking over North American forests and threatening native fungi, according to new research. A study published Wednesday in Current Biology finds these mushrooms are crowding out local fungi, especially around the Great Lakes, and...

Dogs Are Helping Stop the Spread of Invasive Bug

Four-legged investigators are sniffing out spotted lanternfly eggs in Ohio

(Newser) - The spotted lanternfly, a leaf-hopping invasive pest first detected in the US a decade ago, has steadily spread across the East Coast and into the Midwest, with little getting in its way. But now researchers are deploying a new weapon to slow its advance—specially trained dogs with the ability...

California Logs a Win in Its Battle With Mosquitoes
They Released Thousands
of Mosquitoes, Then Waited
in case you missed it
May 11, 2025 7:53 AM CDT

They Released Thousands of Mosquitoes, Then Waited

Setting free sterilized males is found to reduce invasive populations in Southern California

(Newser) - Officials are seeing promising signs that efforts to combat mosquitoes are working in Southern California as the season of peak activity begins. A local agency known as a vector control district (VCD) began releasing sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in 2023, followed by a second district the following year. The...

Invasive Crab Found in Pacific Northwest for First Time

Officials warn that Chinese mitten crab can damage infrastructure and disrupt ecosystems

(Newser) - A crab capable of scaling 13-foot concrete walls has been spotted in the Pacific Northwest for the first time, raising serious concerns for local wildlife officials. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says the Chinese mitten crab, famous for its hairy claws and invasive ways, was caught by...

Feds: If You Catch This Fish, Slice Its Head Off
Feds: If You Catch This
Fish, Slice Its Head Off
in case you missed it
Apr 19, 2025 4:00 PM CDT

Feds: If You Catch This Fish, Slice Its Head Off

Officials in Missouri, other states want locals to help eliminate the invasive northern snakehead fish

(Newser) - An invasive fish species is causing turmoil in Missouri and other states, and now the feds are imploring the public to help get rid of the pests. The Missouri Department of Conservation has been warning residents of the sharp-toothed northern snakehead, which the New York Times describes as a "...

Fish and Wildlife: This Rodent Is 'Invasive and Delicious'

Eating nutrias can help save wetlands, official say

(Newser) - It resembles a small beaver or very large rat, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service would like to see more of them go into gumbo. Nutrias, semi-aquatic rodents native to South America, are an invasive species found in around 18 states, including California, where they have reappeared after they...

'Adorable, Fluffy' Predator Is Decimating a Habitat's Invaders

Surging population of native sea otters has almost wiped out invasive green crabs in one California ecosystem

(Newser) - The West Coast has been plagued by an invasive crab species for decades—but scientists now say a native resident is helping to remedy the issue, at least in one California ecosystem. That helper is an "adorable, fluffy, and hungry friend," per USA Today —the resident southern...

We've Won the War on Murder Hornets, Officials Say

'It is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects'

(Newser) - Americans can take murder hornets off the list of things to worry about in 2025, federal authorities say. Officials say the invasive species has been eradicated from the US, five years after the first specimens were found in Washington state, ABC News reports. Dr. Mark Davidson, the deputy administrator at...

Highway Camera Captures a Surprise, Squawking Cameo

Irritated-looking mynah bird makes a splash on video taken over New Zealand highway

(Newser) - Angry Birds: Down Under? A tropical bird with an attitude has inadvertently become an internet sensation after photobombing a highway traffic camera in New Zealand, and the New Zealand Transport Agency is having a bit of fun with it, reports NBC News . The footage without sound taken over a stretch...

Python Scarfs Down Entire 77-Pound Deer

In the Florida Everglades

(Newser) - Florida researchers tracking snakes in the Everglades were recently treated to quite an "impressive feat": a female Burmese python devouring a 77-pound white-tailed deer, whole. And they've released the footage of when they made their discovery, showing the python's mouth stretched to 93% of its maximum gape,...

Saving Nature Will Require a Societal 'Transformation'

World Wildlife Fund calls for revamping food, energy, finance systems amid wildlife destruction

(Newser) - Enough is enough, says the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report , released Wednesday, calling on governments and companies to "act rapidly to eliminate activities with negative impacts on biodiversity and climate" before it's too late. The report describes a 73% decline in the average size of monitored...

Not a Baaaad Idea for Cities Looking to Clean Up Land

Sheep increasingly are put to work grazing in urban communities to handle invasive species and more

(Newser) - Along the Cumberland River just north of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, tourists on party pontoons see something a little expected: hundreds of sheep nibbling on grass along the riverbank. The urban sheepherder who manages this flock, Zach Richardson, says sometimes tourist boats will go out of their way to let their...

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