INVASIVE SPECIES
X
CONTACT US
Great Lakes Center, SAMC 319
SUNY Buffalo State
1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222
wnyprism@buffalostate.edu
(716) 878.4708
SUBSCRIBE TO LISTSERV
FOLLOW US
CONTACT
Asian Longhorned Beetle
Anoplophora glabripennis
ALB has a glossy black body with white spots on top of the wings. Adults are 3/4" to 1" long. Antennae are roughly 2 times the body length with distinctive black and white bands. The legs and antennae have a bluish tinge. Adults are present from July to October.
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Autumn olive is a large deciduous shrub that can grow to a height of 15 ft, and a width of 20 ft. Its leaves are oval or lance-shaped with entire and wavy margins, dull green in color with silvery underside.
Balsam Woolly Adelgid
Adelges piceae
Adults are tiny (about 1 mm long) and appear dark purple to black in color. They produce a thick layer of light-colored, waxy, wool-like material that covers their body.
Beech Leaf Disease
Litylenchus crenatae mccannii
Beech leaf disease is a new threat to WNY and poses a serious threat to beech forests. Research is ongoing to learn more about the biology of this disease including its spread vectors.
Black Jetbead
Rhodotypos scandens
Black jetbead is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 5 feet tall. It forms a dense shrub layer that shades out native species and restricts the establishment of tree seedlings. Black jetbead is one of our Data Gap Species Priorities for 2024.
Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black locusts threaten prairies, savannahs and upland forests. They have an extensive root system that allows them to reproduce clonally, sprouting many clones in one area. As they grow, they'll form islands of dense canopy which shade out any plants below them.
Border Privet
Ligustrum obtusifolium
Border privet is a deciduous shrub that may grow to be 20 ft. tall. It forms dense thickets, shading out native plants. It also displaces native shrubs and seedlings in regenerating forests.
Bull Thistle
Cirsium vulgare
A tall biennial that produces a single purple flowerhead atop its stem. Leaves, stem and bracts are all covered in hairs or spines which makes it unpalatable to wildlife and livestock.
Burning Bush
Euonymus alatus
Burning bush is an invasive ornamental woody shrub that is easily recognized by its vibrant red fall foliage. This invasive species has been introduced into natural landscapes through escaping cultivation.
Bush Honeysuckle
Lonicera tartarica, L. morrowii, L. maackii x L. bella
The invasive bush honeysuckles are deciduous shrubs that may grow to be 15 ft. tall. Honeysuckle leaves are opposite, have smooth margins, and can vary in shape, being oval or tapered at the tip.