Join the search for hydrilla

Hydrilla Hunt! program solicits help of lake and river enthusiasts to discover invasive aquatic plant

GLENCOE, Ill. (June 12, 2013) – Boaters, anglers, swimmers, and others who enjoy Illinois’ lakes and rivers are keeping their eyes peeled this summer for an aquatic “superweed.” Through the Hydrilla Hunt! program, citizen volunteers are on the lookout for a highly invasive aquatic plant named Hydrilla verticillata, or simply “hydrilla.”

Recognized as one of the world’s worst weeds, hydrilla can grow an inch per day and form dense mats of vegetation at the water surface. Within the past few years, hydrilla has been discovered in Wisconsin and Indiana and it is expected to arrive in Illinois very soon. Our desirable native aquatic plants, sport fishing, native wildlife, waterfront property values, and recreational uses might all be seriously impacted.

“Early detection of hydrilla could save Illinois millions of dollars in control costs,” noted Cathy McGlynn, coordinator for the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP). “Experience from other states shows that once a waterway becomes infested with hydrilla, it’s nearly impossible to control. Our hope in Illinois is to identify the plant at a very early stage when populations are still small enough to eradicate and manage,” added McGlynn.

The strain of hydrilla that has been found in the northern United States is believed to have originated in Korea. It grows on mucky as well as sandy bottoms of lakes and rivers, and from very shallow water to depths of 20 feet or more. It can be spotted snagged on fishing lines or on boat anchors, or by noting plants seen while boating or growing along the sides of a pier. Hydrilla spreads quickly, since just a small stem fragment of hydrilla can sprout roots and grow into a whole new plant.


Anyone can participate in the Hydrilla Hunt! program. Volunteers are encouraged to take a more detailed look at aquatic plants they encounter while out and about on Illinois’ waterways. A Hydrilla Identification Sheet (available for download at the program’s website, see below) can be used to differentiate hydrilla from look-alike plants such as Brazilian elodea and American elodea. Volunteers who suspect they may have found hydrilla are asked to take several digital photographs and email them to the Hydrilla Hunt! program for verification.

For more information, including how to become a Hydrilla Hunt! volunteer, a Hydrilla Identification Sheet, fact sheets, and other resources, visit www.niipp.net/hydrilla. The Hydrilla Hunt! program is coordinated by the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the Lake County Health Department-Lakes Management Unit. Funding support has been provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources through the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.

Take measures to prevent spread of invasive species while enjoying nature

by CHRIS YOUNG

GateHouse Media Illinois

Posted May 04, 2013 @ 07:21 PM

When it comes to preventing the spread of invasive species, people who love the outdoors should take steps to be sure they are not part of the problem.

Many invasive species — defined as plants and animals that can cause economic and ecological harm — crowd out native species and can be difficult to control.

Chris Evans, invasive species campaign coordinator with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said people need to learn to identify invasive species and help prevent their spread.

“One thing they can do is familiarize themselves with the invasives,” Evans said. “Learn what is in your area.”
One example is Japanese stilt grass, an annual that is a major invader of forests in southern Illinois.
Evans said the plant is making its way northward, probably because seeds are carried on boots, all-terrain vehicles and even horses.

“We re trying to get people to watch for it,” he said.

Officials in Illinois are keeping a close eye on hydrilla, an aquatic plant.

Photo via Wikipedia:

Hydrilla verticillata collection LakeSeminoleFL.jpg

“It’s not here yet,” Evans said. “But it is pretty abundant south and east and is showing up a few places in the Midwest. It can just dominate in a reservoir or aquatic system.”

It was once sold as an aquarium plant, according to www.protectyourwaters.net.

So great is the threat that a task force has been formed to plan a response should hydrilla appear in Illinois.
Like another invasive aquatic plant, Eurasian water milfoil, it spreads by plant fragments that can hitch a ride on boats.

As temperatures warm and people head outside, Evans said people should clean their shoes and equipment (including boats) before moving from one site to another.

For landowners who don’t know if they have a problem, Evans suggests a visit to a local University of Illinois Extension or U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service office. Local staff members will be familiar with problem plants in your area.

“If they don’t know the answer to your question, they will know who to ask,” Evans said.
Some of the invaders are in the news frequently — the advance of Asian carp is one familiar example. But carp and plants aren’t the only invaders....read more

Invasive Plant Workshop Presentations Posted Online

Presentations from the recent Invasive Plant Workshop can now be found online at the Northeast Invasive Plant Partnership's website

Presentations Include:


Invasive Ornamental  Plants
Miscanthus spp. (Japanese and Chinese silvergrass) - Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden
Euonymus spp. (Burning bush) – Brendon Panke, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Aquatic Issues
Hydrilla Management Plan – Cathy McGlynn, NIIPP Coordinator
NPDES Permits for Use of Herbicides in Aquatic Areas - Leslie Lowry, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Best Management Practices
Asian Bittersweet - Rebecca Grill, Park District of Highland Park
Reed Canary Grass – Ryan Campbell, Fermilab Natural Areas
Phragmites – Brook Herman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Tall Goldenrod - David Hodge, Turning Leaf Conservation
Wild Chervil – Ben Haberthur, Kane County FPD

New Herbicides and Application Methods
Herbicide Update – Rick Shulte, Crop Production Services 
Phragmites Wiper Tool – Cathy McGlynn, NIIPP Coordinator

Weed Science Society of America Invasive Plant Spotlight: Algae-Harboring Hydrilla Causing Bald Eagle Deaths in the Southeast

WSSA Press Release

The Weed Science Society of America brings awareness to the issues surrounding invasive plants. The aquatic invasive plant hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) harbors a blue-green algae which is potentially toxic to birds. Birds--namely waterfowl--eat the algae-harboring hydrilla, become poisoned and eventually die from a disease known as avian vacuolar myelinopathy. Eagles that prey on infected waterfowl contract the disease and perish as well. Hydrilla is most prevalent in the southeast but can be found in fresh water lakes and rivers in most coastal states

Lawrence, Kan. (PRWEB) April 1, 2008 -- The aquatic invasive plant hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) not only is a costly nuisance impeding waterways and recreational lakes, it also may have deadly impacts on eagles and waterfowl. Its invasive nature earned it a spot on the Federal Noxious Weed list in 1979 and it is the topic of this Invasive Plant Spotlight from the Weed Science Society of America.

Hydrilla is a quick growing, invasive plant that forms a dense mat in lakes, ponds and reservoirs. It is a safe haven for the fast-growing epiphytic cyanobacterial algae, a blue-green algae, which grows on top of the hydrilla and is potentially toxic to birds. It is suspected that when waterfowl, namely coots, eat the algae-harboring hydrilla, they become poisoned by the algae's neurotoxins and subsequently suffer from a neurological disease known as avian vacuolar myelinopathy. The eagles, in turn, eat the infected coots and succumb to the disease as well.

"According to the research, avian vacuolar myelinopathy was first documented in 1994 at DeGray Lake in Arkansas," says Susan B. Wilde, Ph.D., research professor at the University of South Carolina and member of the Weed Science Society of America. "Since then, more than one hundred bald eagle deaths are believed to be associated with the disease. And it is estimated that the numbers of deaths are much higher, but because of scavenging animals, it often is difficult to recover the carcasses of dead eagles soon enough to test for the disease. But in places where dead eagles are found, invasive aquatic vegetation---primarily hydrilla---and the blue-green algae are always present," says Wilde.

Hydrilla is an invasive plant that originated in India and Asia. It was first introduced into the United States as an aquarium plant back in the 1950s. Improper disposal of hydrilla from aquariums, distribution through animal contact and the plant's ability to "hitchhike" on boats that have been in multiple bodies of water and not cleaned underneath after each use, has lead to its voracious spread over the years. "Hydrilla is most prevalent in the southeast but can be found in fresh water lakes and rivers in most coastal states," says Wilde.

Hydrilla is just one example of a problematic invasive plant. The overall effects of invasive plants on the nation's agriculture, water quality, wildlife and recreation have been estimated to cost the U.S. $34.7 billion annually, according to a recent Cornell University report.

The Weed Science Society of America educates the public on the issues surrounding invasive plants. The information and awareness the Society provides about the destructive effects of invasive plants, assists researchers, scientists, land management professionals and the general public in limiting their spread.

For more information about invasive plants, contact Lee VanWychen, Director of Science Policy for the Weed Science Society of America, at 202-746-4686 or visit www.wssa.net.

About the Weed Science Society of America: The Weed Science Society of America, a non-profit professional society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Weed Science Society of America, promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds; provides science-based information to the public and policy makers; and fosters awareness of weeds and their impacts on managed and natural ecosystems.