Invasive Insect Species: A reoccurring threat to farmers
By: Isabella Kicklighter
As we enter the peak farming season, invasive insect species are making their way onto farms and threatening the yields of local farmers.
Entering the month of June will mark the beginning of what is considered peak growing season for farmers across the nation. With the new season comes the threat of invasive insects who have the potential to destroy crops, spread disease and alter ecosystems, causing a sort of chain reaction.
What is an invasive insect species?
“An invasive species is one at has been introduced and causes ecological or economic harm,” said Dr. Jennifer Zettler, Professor at Georgia Southern University who specializes in research on invasive species and their effects on native invertebrates and plants.
These species are most commonly introduced by accident but are not native to the area they are introduced to and can cause a disruption in the ecosystem.
As describes by the National Geographic Society, ecosystems represent the relationships between organisms and is composed of all biotic and abiotic, living and non-living factors in a habitat. Such as animals, climate, plants and water.
The Habitat is the area on earth which an organism live or inhabits.
Dr. Zettler explained that the main concerns regarding these insects are their effects on the region both the ecosystem and human health in the area.
As an example, Dr. Zettler added that in the coastal Georgia region one invasive insect that has spread the most recent concern is the Ambrosia Beetle.
“The beetle feeds on fungus that causes a laurel wilt disease in red bay and other related trees,” said Dr. Zettler,” it was likely accidently introduced into the ports in infected lumber from Asia.”
“The beetle burrows in the tree trunk and the fungus they feed on spreads disease to the tree, later killing it,” explain Dr. Zettler.
According to the national geographic to receive the title of “invasive” species, “the insect must be non-native and then introduced to the area, taking root in the new ecosystem and then begin causing trouble.”
The species then alter the habitat in a way that can destroy plants or even spread diseases to other organisms like humans.
In this case the Ambrosia beetle is the invasive species which likely came from Asia according to Dr. Zettler and has caused a wide spread of disease in trees located in coastal wooded areas and has already has cases affecting areas in Florida.
Who does this affect?For areas like southeast Georgia and surrounding areas, these troubles include ruining crops to the point where farmers lose thousands of dollars from damaged goods.
Kaitlyn Morris is a floral farmer located in North Florida just on the border between Florida and Georgia. Morris is in her early years of farming but that doesn’t exclude her from the challenges brought by invasive species.
"I have struggled with aphids this season which have damaged handfuls of blooms and plants,” said Morris.
Aphids are a highly invasive insect that prefer more temperate climates, according to Backyardgardengeek.com. The website also states that these insects reproduce asexually and can produced winged aphids which makes for easy travel for new areas to invade.
There are more than 4,700 species of aphids and their small size makes it so they can travel
undetected from plant to plant. These invasive pests are notorious for spreading plant diseases
and cause damage like yellowing or decay from puncturing the plants with their mouths allowing
bacteria to enter into the plant.
"When aphids puncture plants’ epidermal tissue, using their piercing mouthparts (known as
stylets) to seek out micronutrients, they excrete saliva while doing so, and the saliva transfers to
the plant any diseases the aphids might be carrying at that moment," stated the Backyardgeeek.com
The aphids's destruction created revenue problems for Morris who takes her flowers and sells them for profit to make a living but when unexpected visitors destroy her harvest it makes a dent in decreasing her profits. “I cannot sell eaten stems from infested flower beds,” said Morris
If Morris is unable to sell healthy plants, then her business suffers, and her customers are forced to look elsewhere for their plants and flowers.Mathilde Poulain, a local artist, and wedding floral arrangement specialist is one of many customers who rely on Morris’s flowers.
Poulain uses her skills from wedding arrangements and creates handmade jewelry made from foliage and plants she sources from Morris.
“I try to grow some of the flowers for my artistry but most of my supplies are sources from local farmers,” said Poulain.
Poulain added that many of her designs contain the same kind of flowers, “If my supplier was affected by an invasive species, I would have to search for the closest replacement which could alter my budget.”
Morris and Poulain are just one of many “chains” where a small insect, in this case aphids, can cause a big problem. Without the proper knowledge and protection from these invasive species, many people will suffer the consequences and it could potentially alter the agriculture system.
What can be done?
One thing that everyone can do to prepare for these insects to be well informed on invasive species and ways to prevent them.
“With global travel and trade increasing, it is best to have knowledge in practices that help to monitor and prevent introduction,” said Dr. Zettler. She added that once an invasive species is spotted it is likely that they are well established into the ecosystem already and it will be difficult to eradicate them.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has a “Georgia Invasive Species Strategy” which explains detailed plans on how the state will prioritize the monitoring of these species. For more at home practices the Nature Conservancy has a few tips and videos on how to combat invasive species.
RESOURCES:
Dr. Jennifer Zettler- (912)344-2714
Kaitlyn Morris- (904)304-3897
Mathilde Poulain- (912)227-7250
Peak growing season patterns and climate extremes-driven responses of ... (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347906207_Peak_growing_season_patterns_and_climate_extremes-driven_responses_of_gross_primary_production_estimated_by_satellite_and_process_based_models_over_North_America
Thomas, J. (2022, January 19). Are aphids invasive? Backyard Garden Geek. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://backyardgardengeek.com/are-aphids-invasive/#:~:text=Aphids%20are%20highly%20invasive%20insects.%20Although%20they%20prefer,aphids%20to%20travel%20to%20and%20invade%20new%20regions.
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Biomes, ecosystems, and habitats. Education. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/biomes-ecosystems-and-habitats/