Box Tree Moth Found in Kent County, Delaware
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported the discovery of the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) recently at a Kent County home.
NISAW 2024 – Kudzu
Welcome to National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2024! Each day, the Delaware Invasive Species Council will focus on a different invasive species found in or near Delaware. Today we are looking at kudzu. To learn more about NISAW visit the main website. Download the PDF
Red Lionfish
Contact Edna Stetzar to report sightings: Edna.Stetzar@delaware.gov Lionfish Alert for Delaware! Please spread the word and report sightings of this voracious invasive that could be in our waters! The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife is interested in documenting the occurrence of lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) off the coast of Delaware. Lionfish are native to the western Pacific Ocean, but have become well established along the east coast of the U.S. from Florida to North Carolina. Warm eddies generated…
Spotted Lanternfly – Update
Effective July 12, 2022, the Delaware Department of Agriculture will expand the spotted lanternfly quarantine zone to include Sussex County. Established populations have been found n Georgetown, Milford, Seaford, Ocean View, and Rehoboth. To report spotted lanternfly: Whenever possible, destroy positively identified spotted lanternfly with registered insecticides and discard them. Efforts to identify and destroy spotted lanternfly will help your property and community.
Fowl Ticks
The fowl or poultry tick (Argas persicus) was newly detected in Delaware at a location in Kent County. This species, which is native to Asia but widely distributed around the world, is considered a major pest of poultry and linked to numerous avian health issues. This marks the first record of a soft tick (family Argasidae) in the state, with all other documented species being hard ticks (family Ixodidae). Poultry keepers are advised to monitor for tick infestations and report…
Zebra Mussels found on moss balls sold as aquarium plants
March 4, 2021: Zebra Mussels have been found attached to and inside of Betta Buddy Marimo Balls (moss balls) that are being sold in aquarium and pet shops. They were first reported in the state of Washington, but these moss balls are distributed across the U.S. and are being found in other states. They have not been found in Delaware yet, but it is important to keep an eye out. If you find Zebra Mussels in moss balls, please document…
Invasion! (Penn State Ag Science Magazine)
Check out this article on invasive species in the Penn State Ag Science Magazine!
From Nature.org: 10 Weird Ways You Could Be Spreading Invasive Species
Could you be spreading invasive species without realizing it?
A Call to Action: 2016
“The NISC Management Plan is a call to collective action. It enables us to know where to place our priorities and where to invest in the future. The threats invasive species pose to American assets and security warrant an urgent response backed by the full commitment of NISC and its partners.” Visit
ALERT: Emerald Ash Borer is CONFIRMED in Delaware
From Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) Facebook page: “A destructive, invasive beetle that kills ash trees, the emerald ash borer (EAB), has been confirmed in Delaware, making it the 28th state to have found the insect. The statewide impact is expected to be minimal, as ash trees make up only around two percent of Delaware’s tree stock and the state has been preparing for more than a decade. “Because this was not unexpected, we have been working for several years…