Reducing the introduction, spread and impact of invasive species within the Finger Lakes PRISM region through coordinated INVASIVE education, detection, prevention, and control measures. FINGER LAKES PRISM SPECIES Finger Lakes Institute Hobart and William Smith Colleges 300 Pulteney Street, Geneva, NY 14456 (315) 781-4385 FIELD www.fingerlakesinvasives.org GUIDE Funding for this project provided by: Image Credit: Andy Arthur The Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Finger Lakes PRISM) is a collaborative program designed to address the threat of invasive species. Housed within the Hobart and William Smith Colleges Finger Lakes Institute (FLI), the program is one of eight across New York that focuses on managing invasive species, developing detection programs, employing response efforts, providing education programs and outreach, and working with communities. PRISM programs are administered through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Hobart and William Smith are nationally recognized liberal arts colleges defined by a longstanding focus on educating across academic disciplines and an intellectual environment that cultivates faculty and student connections. With a strong commitment to inclusive excellence, the Colleges have a distinguished history of interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship, curricular innovation and exceptional outcomes. Hobart and William Smith provide robust programs in career development, study abroad, service, leadership and athletics. There are 45 majors and 67 minors. With an enrollment of 2,237, more than 60 percent of students study abroad through the No. 1 global education program in the country and all participate in community service. Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, Hobart and William Smith enjoy a lakeside campus on the shore of Seneca Lake. Originally founded as two separate colleges (Hobart for men in 1822 and William Smith for women in 1908), Hobart and William Smith students share the same campus, faculty, administration and curriculum. 2 FINGER LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES FIELD GUIDE According to Executive Order 13112, an “invasive species” is defined as a species that is: 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive species can be plants, animals, or other organisms. They aggressively out-compete native species for resources such as light, nutrients, and habitat, eventually displacing native plant and animal communities. This results in habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity. Once invasive species become dense and widespread, eradication becomes costly, energy-intensive, and nearly impossible to achieve. In the 21st century, global trade, climate change, and human activities are increasing the number of invasive species and exacerbating the magnitude of their impacts. This guide was created in response to the growing threat of invasive species in the Finger Lakes region, with the intention of helping members of the public identify local flora and fauna and learn to distinguish between invasive species and native species. This guide is applicable to the counties within the Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM): Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Tompkins, Tioga, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates. USING THIS REPORTING AN FIELD GUIDE INVASIVE SPECIES Species are grouped by organism Users of this guide are encouraged to type (fish, insects, invertebrates, and survey and monitor their waterways plants) and arranged alphabetically and scout for invasive species. Users of by common name. A short description this guide are also urged to document of the organism and its habitat is their observations using photos and provided, as well as why it is a threat descriptions and to upload them to and how it may be managed. A iMapInvasives.org. Photographed selection of native aquatic plants, specimens are best examined when which may be mistaken for invasive placed on a white background, such as species, are included after the invasive a piece of paper. species section. These are arranged by growth form or habit (floating-leaved or submersed). 3 CHAPTER TABLE OF CONTENTS Asian Clam .......................18 Hydrilla ..........................54 Asian Longhorn Beetle ............12 Japanese Knotweed ..............56 Black, Pale Swallowwort ..........34 Japanese Stiltgrass ...............58 Bloody Red Shrimp ...............20 Leafy Spurge .....................60 Brazilian Waterweed ..............36 Lesser Celandine, Fig Buttercup.....................62 Brittle Waternymph ...............38 Mile-a-Minute Vine ................64 Chinese Mystery Snail .............22 New Zealand Mud Snail ...........28 Curly-leaf Pondweed ..............40 Oriental Weatherfish, Eastern Mosquitofish, Dojo, Weather Loach ..............8 Western Mosquitofish .............6 Parrot Feather ....................66 Emerald Ash Borer ................14 Purple Loosestrife ................68 Eurasian Watermilfoil .............42 Round Goby ......................10 European Frogbit .................44 Rusty Crayfish ....................30 Fanwort .........................46 Slender False Brome ..............70 Faucet Snail ......................24 Starry Stonewort .................72 Fishhook Waterflea, Spiny Waterflea...................26 Variable-leaf Watermilfoil .........74 Floating Primrose-Willow ..........48 Water Chestnut ..................76 Flowering Rush ...................50 Waterwheel ......................78 Giant Hogweed ...................52 Yellow Floating Heart................80 Hemlock Wooly Adelgid ...........16 Zebra Mussel & Quagga Mussel ...................32 4 FINGER LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES FIELD GUIDE INVASIVE SPECIES EASTERN MOSQUITOFISH, WESTERN MOSQUITOFISH e Service, CC lif BY Gambusia holbrooki, Gambusia affinis ild -N W C d 3 n . a 0 h U s i S F v S i Mosquitofish are small, gray or a U B , r u brown invasive fish. They have e g w v a o R o short bodies, growing up to about d e . n o a r g u 7 cm, with a flat-topped head and D a mouth that is pointed upward for surface feeding. The dorsal and caudal fins are rounded. Small black dots may be present on the body and tail, as well as a small dark-colored bar below the eye. These species are very similar in appearance to each other. Mosquitofish can live in a variety of freshwater habi- tats including rivers, springs, and marshes, although they prefers shallow, warmer waters lacking predatory fish. populations may also result in algal THREAT blooms if too many grazing zooplank- ton are consumed. Due to their aggressive and predatory behavior, mosquitofish can greatly dis- rupt food webs and negatively impact MANAGEMENT native fish populations through pre- The best management strategy is dation and competition. Despite their prevention through education and name, these fish are not particularly stewardship. As these species are efficient mosquito predators, as they most commonly spread through prefer larger prey; they may benefit fishing and boating equipment, it is mosquitos by consuming predators important to use precautions such as and competitors of the mosquitos. cleaning, draining, and drying your They may also displace native fish boat and other aquatic equipment species that act as more efficient before moving to another water body. mosquito control agents. Mosquitofish DISTRIBUTION (As of 2/2018) 6 FINGER LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES FIELD GUIDE INVASIVE FISH INVASIVE COMMON NAME Eastern Mosquitofish, Western Mosquitofish SCIENTIFIC NAME Gambusia holbrooki, Gambusia affinis Southern Atlantic and Gulf slope ORIGIN drainages, Mississippi Basin INVASIVE RANKING, NYS Very High MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Prevention Robert McDowell, CC BY-NC 3.0 US via Bugwood.org Poeciliidae by Fishes of North Carolina-Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 7 ORIENTAL WEATHERFISH, DOJO, WEATHER LOACH Misgurnus anguillicaudatus The invasive Oriental Weatherfish is a bottom-feeding, insectivorous fish with an eel-like body. It is col- ored a marbled brown and green- ish gray dorsally and pale silver ventrally. It has a small, underslung mouth with fleshy lips surrounded by six barbells. Individuals average 15 cm in length, but may grow as long as 28 cm. These fish are often found in shallow, slow-mov- ing waters with muddy or silty substrates. They can survive in oxygen-poor waters, and survive long droughts by estivating in soft substrates. THREAT MANAGEMENT This species competes with na- The best management strategy is tive fish populations for aquatic prevention through education and insects as a food source. Macro- stewardship. As this species is most invertebrate abundance may be commonly spread through pet trade, drastically reduced. This species fishing, and boating equipment, has been associated with increased it is important to use precautions turbidity and nitrogen levels in such as cleaning, draining, and standing water may increase. drying your boat and other aquatic equipment before moving to another water body. Once established, removing individuals with backpack electrofishing and bait nets can be effective in managing populations. DISTRIBUTION (As of 2/2018) 8 FINGER LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES FIELD GUIDE INVASIVE FISH INVASIVE COMMON NAME Oriental Weatherfish, Dojo, Weather Loach SCIENTIFIC NAME Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ORIGIN