The Invasion is Here: Protecting Michigan from Non-Native Species
Michigan’s vast forests, Great Lakes coastlines, and rolling farmlands seem timeless untouched by humans. But beneath the surface, a silent invasion threatens the state’s natural beauty and agricultural resources. I’m talking about invasive species – non-native plants and animals that aggressively take over new environments. If left unchecked these invaders could transform Michigan’s landscape beyond recognition.
As a lifelong Michigander and nature lover, I’m deeply concerned about this threat to our state’s ecological heritage That’s why I decided to research the major invasive species that currently menace Michigan, and what’s being done to stop them What I discovered shocked me – but also gives me hope.
The Great Lakes Have Been Breached
The crown jewels of Michigan, our magnificent Great Lakes, face multiple aquatic invaders. Zebra mussels and quagga mussels, stowaways from Europe, have spread rapidly since the 1980s after being carried here in ships’ ballast water. These fingernail-sized mollusks blanket lake bottoms and clog water intakes.
But an even bigger danger lurks below the surface: Asian carp. Imagine a fish up to five feet long that can jump ten feet out of water and weigh over 100 pounds! Originally imported for aquaculture, bighead and silver carp have steadily advanced up the Mississippi River system toward Lake Michigan. If they become established, these voracious filter-feeders could decimate food sources for native fish species.
Fortunately, electric barriers placed in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal seem to be blocking carp so far. But the risk remains, requiring constant vigilance. Other Great Lakes invasions are already underway, including zebra and quagga mussel rivals like the golden mussel. Small but mighty, theseSpecies threaten aquatic ecosystems and infrastructure throughout the region.
Forests and Farmlands Also at Risk
On land, a beetle smaller than a grain of rice endangers Michigan’s ash trees. The emerald ash borer arrived from Asia around 2002 hidden in wood packaging. It has already killed millions of ashes nationwide as its larvae bore beneath the bark, interrupting the flow of nutrients.
Many ashes in Michigan are already irredeemably infested. Scientists are working urgently to breed resistant varieties before it’s too late. Other pests including the Asian longhorned beetle and the spotted lanternfly could also decimate key tree species if they gain a foothold.
Agricultural fields face their own share of invaders. Purple loosestrife, a perennial herb with spikes of purple flowers, has taken over wetlands, choking out native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife. It spreads easily when pieces of its stem break off and take root elsewhere.
Japanese knotweed and giant knotweed similarly threaten to dominate streambanks, fields, and roadsides with dense thickets of bamboo-like stems. And giant hogweed, originally planted as an ornamental, secretes a toxic sap that causes painful blistering when skin is exposed to sunlight. Just brushing against it could land you in the emergency room.
What You Can Do to Help
In the face of such daunting threats, it’s easy to feel powerless. But everyday Michiganders can make a real difference in this fight. Here are some steps you can take:
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Learn to identify major invasive species in your area so you can report any sightings right away. Early detection is crucial!
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Join volunteer groups that organize “pulls” to remove invasive plants. It’s satisfying work that produces tangible results.
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Practice proper disposal habits with firewood, baitworms, and boat cleaning to avoid transporting invasives.
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Speak up to support funding for invasive species education, prevention, and control. We need bold action to meet this challenge.
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Share what you know with friends and neighbors. Raising awareness is the first line of defense.
By taking the invasion threat seriously and working together, we can protect the Michigan we know and love from being irreparably altered. Our state’s future hangs in the balance. But if we make smart choices now, generations to come will be able to enjoy Michigan’s vibrant natural world. The time to act is now!
Calligraphy Sedge (formerly Asiatic Sand Sedge)
Watch List
Calligraphy sedge is a perennial sedge that grows to about one foot tall. It has a triangular stem with brown scales at the base. The leaves are often taller than the club-shaped flowering heads. There are small ridges along the the edge of the leaves, making it feel serrated.
Cinnamon Vine (formerly Chinese Yam)
Watch List
Cinnamon vine has slender vines that spiral counterclockwise and pointed, heart-shaped leaves that are often indented on the sides. The bulbils or air tubers are present from June to September and resemble very small potatoes. It has small, white or greenish-yellow flowers that smell like cinnamon.
Watch List
The European water clover resembles a large four leaf clover, with thin green stalks bearing a single leaf. It can be found in shallow, slow-moving waters.
WATCH LIST
These tiny insects secrete white wax as they feed on sap from hemlock shoots and branches. Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) feeding can kill needles, shoots and branches, resulting in tree death.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
Hydrilla is a submerged aquatic plant with generally green leaves whorled in a group of 4-8. They have very slender stems that grow up to 30 feet long and branch out considerably near water surface.
(Pueraria montana var. lobate)
Watch List
Kudzu is a vine that extends to 100 feet, with up to 30 vines per plant. It has alternate, compound leaves with three broad leaflets and in late summer produces purple individual flowers that grow in upright clusters.
Watch list
Lesser celandine is an invasive spring ephemeral plant that can spread to form thick mats in floodplain forests and along trails, crowding out important native vegetation, and creating opportunities for erosion when it goes completely dormant by late spring.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
A medium-sized (4 to 5 inch) crayfish with slender or narrow claws. Streaked or marbled coloration pattern is most visible on the back, or carapace. In the wild, most range in color from olive to brown, but in captivity, colors can include tan, red or blue.
Watch List
Mile-a-minute weed has light green leaves shaped like an equilateral triangle and small white flowers. They produce a deep blue colored fruit arranged in clusters. Typical infestation areas include stream banks, open space, roadsides, forest edges, and fence lines.
Watch List
Mountain pine beetle is an aggressive and destructive bark beetle that can infest most pine tree species. The beetles and their larvae tunnel through inner bark, eventually causing tree death.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
New Zealand mudsnails are an average of 1/8 inch long with 5-6 whorls on their shell. The shells vary from light brown to black. They can tolerate a wide variety of habitats including reservoirs, estuaries, rivers, and lakes.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
Northern snakeheads can reach up to 33 inches in length. They have a tan color with dark brown mottling, an extended anal fin, a pelvic fin up near the gills and pectoral fins. They have sharp teeth like a pike or pickerel.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
Nutria are approximately two feet long with yellow or orange colored front teeth. They have thick, rat-like tails covered with bristly hairs.
(Myriophyllum aquaticum – synonyms: Myriophyllum brasiliensis, Myriophyllum brasiliense, Myriophyllum proserpinacoides and Enydria aquatica).
Note: “Dwarf parrot feather” and “dwarf red parrot feather” are common names for a dwarf selection sold in trade.
Watch List – Prohibited in Michigan
Parrot feather has spikes of stiff, feathery leaves that grow in whorls of 4-6. It has bright green upper stems that emerge up to one foot above water and small inconspicuous white flowers where leaves attach to the section of stem above water.
What is Asian carp? Trump talks Lake Michigan invasive fish species
FAQ
What are five invasive species in Michigan?
- Asian Longhorned Beetle. (Anoplophora glabripennis) …
- Balsam Woolly Adelgid. (Adelges piceae) …
- Beech Leaf Disease. (Litylenchus crenatae and potential associates) …
- Brazilian Elodea. …
- Carp – Bighead. …
- Carp – Black. …
- Carp – Grass. …
- Carp – Silver.
What is the #1 most invasive species?
1. Spotted lanternfly. Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) are native to China but have run rampant all across the northeastern U.S., prompting experts to advise people to kill them. While they are harmless to humans and animals, they are a danger to over a hundred plant species.
What are three invasive species in Lake Michigan?
- Alewife [exit DNR]
- Big Head Carp [exit DNR]
- Rainbow Smelt [exit DNR]
- Ruffe [exit DNR]
- Round Goby [exit DNR]
- Silver Carp [exit DNR]
- Sea Lamprey [exit DNR]
- White Perch [exit DNR]
Is bamboo illegal in Michigan?
Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), sometimes known as Mexican bamboo or Michigan bamboo, is a prohibited species in the state of Michigan. This means that selling, importing, cultivating or transporting this species is not allowed.