What invasive species could or is troubling to you in your area

[bovine421]

I keep reading articles about this Godzilla sized reptile migrating North. This is a pretty good article on the subject

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/02/23/florida-is-home-to-the-nations-most-dangerous-invasive-lizard-experts-say-theres-potential-for-its-presence-to-expand/

With what they say the potential expansion area is. It doesn't seem like a several day Arctic blast will not slow it's progression

[Galatians522]

Do Dollar Generals count as an invasive species? 🤣

[FigoVelo]

Black fig fly and Himalayan blackberry.

[Daintree]

OMG, my teenage son was given a Nile Monitor as a pet decades ago. We named her Godzilla. Fast, mean, and when they bite you they don’t let go, they just start shaking, trying to rip a chunk out of you. We had to keep a spray bottle of alcohol handy. Spraying it in her face was the only way to get her to let go. She was big enough that her diet, at first, was rabbits, but it was too horrible to watch so we switched her over to ZooPreem “mouse in a can”. Why on earth the pet store sold them I have no idea. But I can see why people turned them loose. Ours broke out of her cage and tried to kill my cat. When I came home, the cat was on top of the fridge and the lizard was pacing around, trying to figure out how to reach her. After that, off she went to the zoo. They’ll get big enough in Florida to take down a medium sized dog, or a toddler.

[pineflatwoods]

Brazilian Peppertree
Earleaf Acacia is a really bad one- even worse than peppertree.
Any of the native exotic vines- that's why fires are good because they burn all that crap out.
Queen palm- drops 1000's of seeds and they have high germination rates and grow quickly.

Probably some grasses and sedges- but they all get mowed.

[K-Rimes]

Field bindweed is nasty at the ranch right now. Awful, it vines up your trunks and is super hard to remove when it lignifies.

[Lumi-Ukko]

Brazilian Peppertree
Earleaf Acacia is a really bad one- even worse than peppertree.
Any of the native exotic vines- that's why fires are good because they burn all that crap out.
Queen palm- drops 1000's of seeds and they have high germination rates and grow quickly.

Probably some grasses and sedges- but they all get mowed.

When I lived in Santa Monica, there was a Brazilian Peppertree on public property about 10 yards from my garden. Never-ending suckers coming up all over the place, which were impossible to eradicate.

As for here in Merida, I have issues with Hoja Santa (Mexican Pepperleaf), which I naively planted as part of my kitchen garden (the leaves are used in Oaxacan cooking) and is spreading underground like wildfire and popping up everywhere. Thankfully the chickens like it so I let them out to peck on the shoots.

Also, and surprisingly as it is a protected species in Mexico, is the Chit Palm (aka Florida Thatch Palm [Thrinax radiata]). I believe it is suffering from habitat loss, but I have several mature palms in my garden, and the fruit and seeds are super abundant and sprout everywhere. My lawn and planters are full of sprouted Chits and I am forever pulling them up.  Speaking from my experience with the seeds, it wouldn't take much to get this palm re-populated in any area it has been lost from.

At the moment, no real issues with invasive animals, birds, or insects in my area other than African Honey Bees which are out-competing the very vital local Melipona bees.

[SDPirate]

Rhamphospermum nigrum, an invasive mustard plant chokes out native plants here in open fields and spaces.  The government does some controlled fires in certain areas where it really has taken over but that really seems to just be a temporary solution because it comes back VERY easily.

Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palm) and Phoenix canariensis (Canary island date palm) are also somewhat invasive in mostly canyon or ravine areas.  Though the latter have started being infested with a palm weevil that eventually kills them so kind of good but not good at the same time as the weevil is not native to here and hopefully does not spread to other palm species.

[K-Rimes]

Rhamphospermum nigrum, an invasive mustard plant chokes out native plants here in open fields and spaces.  The government does some controlled fires in certain areas where it really has taken over but that really seems to just be a temporary solution because it comes back VERY easily.

Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palm) and Phoenix canariensis (Canary island date palm) are also somewhat invasive in mostly canyon or ravine areas.  Though the latter have started being infested with a palm weevil that eventually kills them so kind of good but not good at the same time as the weevil is not native to here and hopefully does not spread to other palm species.

About that mustard.

[shot]

Here is a native vine i hate Virginia creeper -(Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

[fliptop]

They're back . . .

[fliptop]

I'm hoping the cold took care of the Momordica charantia vines and Potato Vines that have been invading the yard.

[Lumi-Ukko]

I'm hoping the cold took care of the Momordica charantia vines and Potato Vines that have been invading the yard.

I find that so interesting that the bitter melon vines are taking over your yard. I try to grow it all the time and all manner of critters take care of the vines before I can get fruit (possums, iguanas, rats, birds). Any kind of cucurbit vine is munched as soon as it shoots up, and thus almost impossible for me to reliably grow melons, squash, or cukes.

[Greater Good]

Southeast Florida has a rare invasive from the North. It frequents where fruit trees are grown but quickly retreats when trees are sprayed.

[AndrewAZ]

Stinknet

[CA Hockey]

Cashmere bouquet

Bought 1 plant from top tropicals for the beautiful flowers and scent. Damn thing has spread 100 feet in either direction with underground suckers everywhere. Finally hired someone to dig it out and chase all the roots.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Tree rat (Rattus rattus) has been a prolific pain for many years.  It appreciates the macadamias and avocados nightly leaving chippings under the trees.  I run 10 snap traps on poles hanging in trees (screened to keep birds out).  I will not use poison due to other wildlife.  Catch a rat a week, have a donation spot sought out by local crows, possums, raccoons and never have to bury the body.  Nocturnal, it inhabits unprotected attics, barns and other protected sites.  The rats are well fed, at our expense.  Any controls are compromised by adjacent populations from neighbors.  Actually, an attractive rat, as rats go.  More attractive dead.

[K-Rimes]

Tree rat (Rattus rattus) has been a prolific pain for many years.  It appreciates the macadamias and avocados nightly leaving chippings under the trees.  I run 10 snap traps on poles hanging in trees (screened to keep birds out).  I will not use poison due to other wildlife.  Catch a rat a week, have a donation spot sought out by local crows, possums, raccoons and never have to bury the body.  Nocturnal, it inhabits unprotected attics, barns and other protected sites.  The rats are well fed, at our expense.  Any controls are compromised by adjacent populations from neighbors.  Actually, an attractive rat, as rats go.  More attractive dead.

I caught many over the year in 2025, and curiously I have few now. Perhaps the coyotes and bobcats are doing their job at the ranch this year and they're not getting into the house.

[SDPirate]

The rats are very annoying.  Especially because they like to live in palms nearby, and then at night they come down to explore and chew up some of my small trees.  Really need to step up my rodent deterrence strategy.

Another invasive I thought of was Asian Tiger mosquito.  A relatively new invasive species as it has only been detected the past decade.  While I'm used to the smaller mosquitos in the summer that are more prevalent at night, these guys are active during the day even in the dead of winter.  I could not believe how many I saw this winter.

[MasOlas]

I find avocados occasionally on my back patio mostly devoured. Just skin left. It’s either raccoons or possums. I catch both checking out our feral cat’s empty food bowl on the blink camera sometimes. Pro tip: feed the cat just enough to keep it fed so it doesn’t leave any leftovers!

[brad]

Bermuda Grass...  It is impossible for me to remove and is growing in all my garden beds in my backyard.  I have dug it up 2-3 times now just to have it return more powerful than ever before

[nattyfroootz]

Field bindweed is nasty at the ranch right now. Awful, it vines up your trunks and is super hard to remove when it lignifies.

Only reason I'd consider using roundup. I have a couple patches that I'm planning to spray because having it spread throug hthe farm would be horrible

[Galatians522]

Bermuda Grass...  It is impossible for me to remove and is growing in all my garden beds in my backyard.  I have dug it up 2-3 times now just to have it return more powerful than ever before

So, I wasn't going to say anything about this, but since Nate already mentioned it...Roundup works really well on Bermuda grass. At least, that is what the local citrus growers tell me. I don't think I have ever used the stuff personally.

[brad]

Bermuda Grass...  It is impossible for me to remove and is growing in all my garden beds in my backyard.  I have dug it up 2-3 times now just to have it return more powerful than ever before

So, I wasn't going to say anything about this, but since Nate already mentioned it...Roundup works really well on Bermuda grass. At least, that is what the local citrus growers tell me. I don't think I have ever used the stuff personally.

I wouldn't mind using Roundup, but I have multiple fruit trees and other flowering plants in the beds with the Bermuda grass unfortunately

[MasOlas]

This comes with a wand and cone at the tip so it can be used as a spot treatment. Established trees aren't affected by it. Might be an option for those who need it.
https://www.amazon.com/Roundup-Killer%E2%82%84-Refill-Driveways-Walkways/dp/B0C7Y5NXQC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2LHXVVMB4S55B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.K8TPOqULKjgxXtyuMQkyQ_CzM02WeS9QNT0PbpY7950tzP1FoRSAKHXeWbCewpXBJG5x54zehHXYH5lgE0oAVwxjHbeFIB27VkV2H-_x8RF92ntpE8Q5vIKXb419rOndnTL5UCiiL8FqsJ0wk9atZnJbI_c1p_NiaWfjXfETh-_Nfmy3yUINjYSDeXSp-4yprX5zjMY2koFaDbFhbrJ2Zwc4BJVY2_tlR99FiYhVQER4ITc8QJBvO3nvoQF-G3HViKoqIcrHGIGPItNNlh5duFWBESpZsQofvIExIZq7C34.rFxRGAQRkTW_AUubD2IlkKOw4BD7hVceZ8BFAY2sgmo&dib_tag=se&keywords=roundup&qid=1772719674&sprefix=roundup%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-5&th=1