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Invasive Species

A sihek, or Guam kingfisher, chick born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Four Rare Guam Kingfisher Chicks Hatch at Virginia Facility, Making an ‘Incredibly Valuable’ Addition to the Small Population of Extinct-in-the-Wild Birds

The species, also known as the sihek, was wiped out from its native Guam and kept alive in captivity. Conservationists released some birds on Palmyra Atoll in 2024, and they have been thriving so far

Biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are working hard to eradicate nutria from the state.

Large Invasive Rodents Are Wreaking Havoc in California. New Research Suggests Someone Deliberately Introduced Them

Genetic testing revealed that nutria living in California since 2017 are most closely related to a population in central Oregon—too far for the creatures to have traveled on their own

Nearly 200 hippos are estimated to roam in Colombia.

Colombia Plans to Euthanize Dozens of ‘Cocaine Hippos,’ Descendants of Animals Brought by Notorious Drug Trafficker Pablo Escobar

If nothing is done to control the invasive creatures, officials estimate the population could grow to 1,000 animals by 2035. So, they aim to cull about 80 individuals later this year

The larvae feed on the leaves of elm trees in a distinctive zigzag pattern.

This Invasive Wasp Is Wreaking Havoc on Elms in North America—and the Damage May Soon Spread to Other Trees

Elm zigzag sawflies can munch on plants beyond their preferred elm trees when foliage isn’t available, a new study suggests

Crabs not yet at the molting stage are thrown back into the Venice lagoon.

Coastal Cities of Europe

Can Venice’s Iconic Crab Dish Survive Climate Change?

For more than 300 years, Italians have fried soft-shell green crabs, called moeche. But the culinary tradition is under threat

Spotted lanternflies have spread to nearly 20 states since 2014.

Bees Are Turning the Sticky-Sweet Secretions of Spotted Lanternflies Into Honey—and Some People Love the Smoky-Smelling Stuff

The invasive insects have been spreading across the United States for over a decade, leaving behind poop that bees are transforming into a less sweet, sometimes savory, honey

A Laysan albatross checks on its egg.

Stream the Beautiful Highs and Violent Lows of Albatross Life With This New 24-Hour Camera on Midway Atoll

You can see the large white seabirds dancing, preening, feeding and raising young—though the live feed might show a dark side of island living, too, with potential predation from invasive mice

In a new study, 79 percent of black-spotted pond frogs successfully consumed the northern giant hornet.

‘Murder Hornets’ Might Strike Terror in Humans, but These Frogs Can Eat Them for Lunch

Watch a pond frog effortlessly devour the northern giant hornet, the largest hornet in the world, while sustaining stings that are deadly to many animals

A spiny-tailed iguana on Clarion Island

Iguanas Are Native, Not Invasive, on This Mexican Island, DNA Study Suggests, Rewriting Conservation Ideas

The spiny-tailed iguanas of Clarion Island predate human presence in the Americas by tens of thousands of years, researchers say

Bat? Meet rat. Scientists recorded brown rats snatching bats from the air and eating them.

Rats Are Snatching Bats Out of the Air and Eating Them—and Researchers Got It on Video

Rodents in northern Germany were spotted using two different hunting strategies at major urban bat hibernation sites

Culiseta annulata, the mosquito species discovered in Iceland this month.

Iceland Is No Longer Mosquito Free. Is Climate Change to Blame?

It was previously thought to be one of the last places on Earth without the insects

An adult spotted lanternfly on a leaf in Pittsburgh

Swarm of Invasive Spotted Lanternflies Shows Up on Weather Radar Around Washington, D.C., Meteorologists Say

Using a variety of radar characteristics, scientists suggest the irregular detection was caused by bugs, instead of normal weather patterns

Joro spiders are essentially harmless to humans and pets, but scientists are concerned about their impact on native species.

Scientists Want Your Help to Track the Spread of Invasive Joro Spiders at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The invasive arachnids were first spotted in the park last year, and now, researchers hope to keep tabs on when and where they occur

The remotely controlled robotic rabbits have been placed at various undisclosed locations in South Florida to see how well they fool the invasive snakes.

‘Robo-Bunnies’ Are the Newest Weapon in the Fight Against Invasive Burmese Pythons in Florida

Scientists are experimenting with robotic rabbits in hopes of luring the destructive snakes out of hiding so they can be euthanized

Researchers discover the secret behind Burmese pythons' ability to fully digest the bones of their prey.

Researchers Discover the Trick That Allows Burmese Pythons to Digest the Bones of Their Prey

Special intestinal cells collect excess minerals into particles the snakes can poop out, according to a new study

The population of golden oyster mushrooms has particularly exploded in the Midwest and Great Lakes region.

Invasive Golden Oyster Mushrooms Are Crowding Out Native Fungi and Could Slash Biodiversity in Forests, Study Suggests

Researchers found that trees in Wisconsin that had become hosts to the eye-catching species hosted only half the fungal biodiversity of trees that had not been invaded

The mosquitoes are dropped from drones inside small, cylindrical, biodegradable containers.

Scientists Are Using Drones to Unleash Thousands of Mosquitoes in Hawaii in a Bid to Save Native Birds. Here’s How It Works

The lab-raised, non-biting male mosquitoes are meant to breed with the invasive ones on the islands and produce sterile eggs that will help suppress avian malaria

Wild pigs are becoming increasingly problematic in California's Bay Area.

Wild Pigs Are Causing Big Problems in California’s Bay Area, and Their Population Seems to Be Growing

Land managers and other authorities are ramping up efforts to trap and kill the destructive, non-native animals

Asian needle ants are small, shiny and dark brown, with lighter-colored leg tips and antennae.

Watch Out for These Invasive, Stinging Ants That May Cause Life-Threatening Allergic Reactions

First introduced in the 1930s, carnivorous Asian needle ants appear to be spreading across the United States

Formosan termites (Coptotermes formosanus) are among two invasive termite species that are interbreeding in South Florida.

Two Invasive Termites Are Interbreeding in Florida, Raising Concerns That the Hybrid Pests Could Spread Around the World

Previous research found that Asian and Formosan termites could produce offspring together, and now, scientists have found these creatures established in the wild

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