Vol. 11, No. 7, July 2015 |
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Invasive Species Alert: New Guinea Flatworm
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One of the world's most invasive species has shown up, uninvited, to Florida; and officials contend they will likely not have predators in the United States.
According to Newsweek, the New Guinea Flatworm—looking like a cross between a slimy slug and a flattened snake—has a renowned hunger for snails and the ability to live in just about any environment. In the past few decades, it has spread out of its native New Guinea to islands throughout the Pacific and as far away as France. It has now been discovered in mainland United States, in several gardens in Miami.
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Source: https://peerj.com/articles/1037
A study published last month in the journal PeerJ shows that the odious worm has also made its way to Puerto Rico, Singapore, several New Caledonian islands, and the Solomon Islands.
“It will not make differences between abundant common species and rare endemic snails,” says study author Jean-Lou Justine, a researcher at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. “In that, it is a significant potential threat to all [native] snail species.”
This could ripple up the food chain to affect creatures that eat snails, like birds. It could have impacts in the other direction of the food chain as well: The plants that snails eat, like certain weeds, might spread and become overgrown.
According to the Justine, it has probably already spread to many gardens in Miami, since these “are often attended by professionals with many clients. Movements of the flatworm from garden to garden together with soil, compost, rooted plants, potted plants and garden waste will certainly disseminate the invasive species.”
Once they are in an area, it is very difficult to halt their spread, since they are small—2 inches long—and live in the soil
For more information, read the complete story at Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/invasive-new-guinea-flatworm-has-made-its-way-florida-346159
| Shown below: All available records of P. manokwari in the world. The spread of the species mainly concerns countries and territories in the Pacific Area; Florida and Puerto Rico are the first records in the Americas. The record in Florida is the first on the American mainland. |
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UF/IFAS to host Bee Research Symposium on July 15-16
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The two day Bee Research Symposium will be split between Apis (honey bee) and non-Apis bees topics.
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The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is hosting the state’s first ever Bee Research Symposium, on July 15 and 16 at the Austin Cary Memorial Forest Conference Center. Symposium organizers are looking for research papers to discuss.
The meeting will bring together bee researchers and enthusiasts from across the region to discuss topics related to the study of bees, including honey bee colony losses, Africanized honey bees, pollination and native bee contributions to Florida agriculture.
Maintaining a healthy bee population is critical to human health. Notably, a worldwide honey bee die-off began to be reported around the U.S. in 2006. Scientists report yearly national losses of managed honey bee colonies around 30 percent and researchers have been working to pin down a cause.
Native bee populations may be suffering as well. Bee pollination is critical for much of the food we eat, and some estimates suggest the U.S. bee industry is responsible for pollinating as much as $15 billion worth of crops every year.
To register for the event, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-florida-bee-research-symposium-tickets-9680194723.
Pet-Friendly Shelters Announced for Lake County
Nearly two weeks into the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season, Lake County Emergency Management officials are excited to announce that all nine of the county’s emergency shelters are now pet-friendly.
“We are aware of how important pets are to many of our citizens, so we are thrilled to have worked with the Lake County Sheriff and the School Board to ensure people can bring their pets with them during emergencies,” said Tommy Carpenter, Manager of Lake County Emergency Management. “It is important to know that all pets arriving to county shelters will need to be crated and owners must bring their animal’s vaccination records along with food and water.”
Shelter locations include Astatula Elementary, Leesburg Elementary, Lost Lake Elementary, Mascotte Elementary, Round Lake Elementary, Spring Creek Elementary, Treadway Elementary, Umatilla Elementary and The Villages Elementary.
Read the complete story at: https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/media/news_releases/news_release.aspx?id=2709