What invasive species are found in Tennessee? Watch out for these plants, insects and animals

Some slither, some crawl and others grow wild. They can be found in your yard, in the water, and even in the sky. No matter the type, all invasive species can negatively impact native ecosystems.

Across the United States, pesky, unwanted plants and insects can insert themselves in ecosystems and damage their surroundings. Invasive species are non-native organisms which can harm human health, the economy or the environment.

In various states, steps have been taken to outlaw invasive species, such as the foul-smelling Bradford pear tree, a common sight in Tennessee. Other invasive species which plague Tennessee include kudzu, Japanese beetles, the red imported fire ant and more.

What is an invasive species?

An invasive species is a plant, animal or other living organism that is foreign to an ecosystem. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a species is classified as "invasive" when its introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. Invasive species can also pose a threat to human health.

"Non-native species are plants and animals living in areas where they do not naturally exist," said the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "'Non-native species' and 'invasive species' can not be used interchangeably."

How do invasive species spread?

Invasive species can spread in one of two ways — naturally or through man made methods. Natural pathways can include wind, currents or other forms of natural dispersal, said the USDA. Man made pathways are created by or enhanced by human activity.

What are invasive species' impacts?

Whether introduced intentionally or unintentionally, invasive species can pose a threat to native plants and organisms in a community. According to the USDA, invasive species can lead to the extinction of native plants and animals, destroy biodiversity and permanently alter habitats. Invasive species can impact human health as well as have economic, social, environmental, ecological impacts, said the USDA.

How to get rid of invasive species

There are multiple ways to fight off invasive species. One method is physically getting rid of the pests. For example hand-pulling, dredging, or removing nests or egg masses. However, physical methods can be labor intensive, costly, and only provide a temporary solution to the problem, said the USDA. Controlling invasive species using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides can be effective but can also be expensive and ultimately end up harming an environment's health, warned the USDA.

According to the Nature Conservancy, a non-profit environmental organization, the most effective method for protecting yourself and the environment from invasive species is to prevent them from occurring.

The Nature Conservancy recommends:

• Verify that the plants you purchase are native and replace invasive plants with native alternatives

• Clean boats thoroughly before transporting it to a different body of water

• Clean bags and footwear prior to hiking or walking in new area to get rid of hitchhiking weed seeds and pathogens

• Avoid releasing aquarium fish and plants, or exotic pets into the wild

• Volunteer at local parks wildlife area to remove invasive species and educate others about the threat

What plants are invasive in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Invasive Plant Council has identified the following invasive plants in Tennessee. The plants are all widely established across the state and have been reported in more than 10 counties.

• Tree of Heaven (tree)

• Mimosa (tree)

• Garlic mustard (herb)

• Alligatorweed (herb)

• Hairy jointgrass (grass)

• Hungarian brome (grass)

• Asian bittersweet (vine)

• Spotted knapweed (herb)

• Sweet Autumn Clematis (vine)

• Chinese yam (vine)

• Autumn Olive (shrub)

• Burning bush (shrub)

• Winter creeper (vine)

• Japanese knotweed (herb)

• English ivy (vine)

• Water thyme (aquatic)

• Bicolor Lespedeza (shrub)

• Chinese lespedeza (herb)

• Chinese privet (shrub)

• Japanese honeysuckle (vine)

• Amur bush honeysuckle (shrub)

• Purple loosestrife (herb)

• Japanese stiltgrass (grass)

• Chinese silver grass (grass)

• Asian spiderwort (herb)

• Brazilian watermilfoil (aquatic)

• Eurasian water — milfoil (aquatic)

• Empress tree (tree)

• Beefsteak plant (herb)

• Common reed (grass)

• Kudzu (vine)

• Bradford pear (tree)

• Multiflora rose (shrub)

• Wine raspberry (shrub)

• Johnson grass (grass)

• Japanese meadowsweet (shrub)

• Coltsfoot (herb)

• Common periwinkle (vine)

• Chinese wisteria (vine)

• Japanese wisteria (vine)

Invasive insects in Tennessee

The Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia compiled a list of most invasive species across the United States. The following insects have been detected in various counties across Tennessee.

• Tomato fruitworm

• Southern pine beetle

• Multicolored Asian lady beetle

• Japanese beetle

• Hemlock wooly adelgid

• Emerald ash borer

• Brown marmorated stink bug

• Fall armyworm

• Kudzu bug

• Fire ant

• Sugarcane aphid

• Joro spider

• Spruce beetle

• Fire ant decapitating fly

• Hybrid imported fire ant

• Black imported fire ant

• Black stem borer

• Ambrosia beetle

• Fruit-tree pinhole borer

• Bark beetle

• Granulate ambrosia beetle

• Black twig borer

• Crapemyrtle bark scale

• San Jose scale

• Spotted-wing drosophilia

• Red imported fire ant

• Forest tent caterpillar

• European elm bark beetle

• Maple petiole borer

• European hornet

• Asian chestnut gull wasp

• Green stink bug

• Pit scale

• Mimosa webworm

• Potato tuber moth

• European pine shoot moth

• Asiatic oak weavil

• Introduced pine sawfly

• Fall cankerworm

• Pear sawfly

• Spotted lanternfly

• Linden aphid

• Northern giant hornet

Invasive animals in Tennessee

• Wild boar

• Shovel-headed garden worm

• European startling

• American bullfrog

• Hammerhead worm

• Red-eared slider

• Alewife

• Common carp

• Rock pigeon

• Wandering broadheaded planarian

• Three-lined land planarian

• Mediterranean gecko

• Cuban treefrog

• Brown anole

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What are the most invasive species in Tennessee