Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt

In Pennsylvania, many natural resource professionals and citizen scientists are familiar with invasive species that commonly overwhelm our local natural areas.

For example, species such as garlic mustard (seen in photo on right), Japanese knotweed, and Japanese barberry are well known and typically easy to identify by those with botanical training or an environmental background.

However, I would ask the following question:

How many of us are familiar with invasive species that are less common in Pennsylvania, or perhaps ones that are not yet here but known from nearby states?

It's important to be aware of these less common invaders because, if found, reporting them and initiating rapid response efforts is crucial to controlling their spread and ultimately preventing these species from becoming the next "common" invader.

The purpose of the Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt is to broaden your perspective and introduce each of you to a few invasive species you might not already be familiar with.

Additionally, capturing data (both presence and absence) will be an important component of the event.

Pictured on left: New Zealand mudsnails

What you need to know...

WHO: You and your technology of choice (smartphone, tablet, or laptop/desktop computer)

WHAT: Search for and report data (presence/absence) and photographs for 15 specific species listed on the Scavenger Hunt checklist

WHEN: The entire month of August

WHERE: Search your local natural area(s) and report findings to iMapInvasives. Examples of places to search include parks, forests, waterbodies such as ponds, lakes, and rivers, etc. (For species such as ALB of SLF, search anywhere!)

WHY: Each of the 15 species on the Scavenger Hunt checklist are high priority invaders that have a significant (negative) impact on Pennsylvania's native species and habitats as well as our state's economy. By finding and reporting these species to iMapInvasives, you are assisting in efforts to document these species' occurrences in the state and (hopefully) ultimately treat and manage them.

PRIZES: All participants who complete their checklist will be entered into a drawing to win one of 20 FREE copies of " Pennsylvania's Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species ".

Note: In order for participants of the Scavenger Hunt to be entered into the prize drawing, they must enter at least one presence or one absence record into iMapInvasives for each of the 15 species on the checklist. Also, each presence/absence record needs to be tagged to the "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt (2020)" project in iMapInvasives.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: If you are surveying in an area where other people are present, be sure to maintain six feet social distancing and, if needed, wear a face covering.

All species on the Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt checklist are considered to be invasive in Pennsylvania and/or in surrounding states:

Terrestrial/Wetland Plants:

•  Oriental bittersweet  (Celastrus orbiculatus)
•  Purple loosestrife  (Lythrum salicaria)
•  Policeman's helmet  (Impatiens glandulifera)
•  Wavyleaf basketgrass  (Oplismenus undulatifolius)
•  Common reed  (Phragmites australis)
•  Kudzu  (Pueraria montana var. lobata)
•  Alligatorweed  (Alternanthera philoxeroides)
•  Mile-a-minute vine  (Persicaria perfoliata)

Aquatic Plants:

•  Eurasian water-milfoil  (Myriophyllum spicatum)
•  Hydrilla  (Hydrilla verticillata)
•  Brazilian elodea  (Egeria densa)

Animals/Insects:

•  Asian longhorned beetle  (Anophlophora glabripennis)
•  Spotted lanternfly  (Lycorma delicatula)
•  Zebra mussel  (Dreissena polymorpha)
•  New Zealand mudsnail  (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)

Note: Of the 15 species on the checklist, the following are considered noxious weeds in the state of Pennsylvania:

• Purple loosestrife
• Wavyleaf basketgrass
• Kudzu
• Mile-a-minute vine
• Hydrilla
• Brazilian elodea

A complete list of all Pennsylvania noxious weeds can be found on the  Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's website .

Note: The PA iMapInvasives Administrator will report the following presence findings, if logged in iMapInvasives and confirmed by an expert:

• Any noxious weed (PA Department of Agriculture - State Botanist)
• Spotted lanternfly (PA Department of Agriculture via Penn State Extension's online reporting tool)
• New Zealand mudsnail (PA Fish and Boat Commission)
• Asian longhorned beetle (United States Department of Agriculture)

To assist participants in identifying the species on the checklist as well as surveying tips, all registered webinar attendees will receive an email from the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives program (after today's training) with helpful resources.

Note: Many species on the Scavenger Hunt checklist look similar to other native and exotic/invasive species. Information will also be provided by the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives program regarding look-alike species to be aware of.

Using iMapInvasives, we can know:

• The specific places in Pennsylvania where each of these 15 species have already been reported (if at all)
• Precise observation dates
• Observer name and affiliated organization

Suggestion: Prior to beginning the Scavenger Hunt, log into iMapInvasives and look up a few species on the checklist and view their distributions in Pennsylvania. Other resources to look up species distributions in Pennsylvania include  PA Flora  (plants only), the  Biota of North America Program  (plants only), and  USGS NAS  (aquatic species only).

Absence data shows that an area was searched and a target species was not found. This information is useful to natural resource professionals if an infestation is found at a later date.

To participate in the Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt, you'll need a registered iMapInvasives user account.

Instructions:

1. Visit  www.iMapInvasives.org  or  www.PAiMapInvasives.org .
2. Click the Login button at the top of either page.
3. Sign up for a free iMapInvasives account using the provided form.

A login account is needed by each participant of the Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt in order to enter data into the iMapInvasives online database and/or the iMapInvasives mobile app.

Pictured on left: Homepage of the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives website

As a participant in the Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt, you'll need to tag your presence and absence findings in iMapInvasives under the "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt (2020)" project.

Instructions:

1. Login into iMapInvasives (using your unique login credentials) and click on the menu in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Choose "Projects".
3. Type in "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt (2020)".
4. Click on the project name after it appears.
5. (In the "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt 2020" project profile): Click the hyperlink in the upper right corner of the screen that says "Request to Join Project".

Your join request will be submitted to the PA iMapInvasives Administrator and approved as soon as possible. Once approved, you'll receive an email notification.

Mobile App:

1. Use the iMapInvasives mobile app to record presence and absence data of invasive species when you're outdoors and away from your computer.
2. An internet connection is not necessary to create data when using the app. Create data and upload it to the online iMapInvasives database when an internet connection is available.

Instructions:

1. Download the App: On your mobile device, download the app from either Apple's App Store or Android's Google Play Store. Use the keyword "iMapInvasives".
2. Set Your Preferences: In the app, tap the menu icon in the upper left corner.

Once in Preferences:

• Choose your jurisdiction (Pennsylvania).
• Fill in your email address and iMapInvasives password.
• Click the "Retrieve iMap Lists" button. (This button retrieves information from the online version of iMapInvasives including the most updated tracked species list, your affiliated organization(s), and any projects you are a part of.)
• Choose how you want to see the tracked species list.
• Create a custom species list (optional).
• Select your default project (e.g., Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt [2020]").
• Select your affiliated organization, or if you don't have one, choose "Pennsylvania Citizen Scientists" as your affiliated organization. (Make sure this selection has already been made in your user profile in the online version of iMapInvasives.)
• Other (picture quality, save photos to device's library, and base map view)

Once you're finished filling in your Preferences, click the Save button.

Mobile App Instructions (continued):

1. Open the App and click "Add Observation".
2. Take a photo using your device's camera. Ensure your photo includes up-close, distinguishing characteristics of the species you observed!
3. Fill in observation details including the species observed and whether it was detected or not-detected. The date will fill in automatically.
4. Your observation location will automatically be determined by your GPS in your device. Ensure you are standing (or floating) as close as possible to the location where you are creating your record.
5. Select "Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt (2020)" as the tagged project.
6. Select your affiliated organization, if it doesn't fill in automatically from your Preferences.
7. Enter the time in minutes you surveyed the area.
8. Fill in any assessment questions and affiliated comment data fields.

Finally, save your record!

Mobile App Instructions (continued):

Once you've created one or more records using the mobile app, upload them to the online iMapInvasives database. Note: You'll need an internet connection for this part.

1. From the mobile app's main menu, choose "Select All". (This will select all your records.)
2. Then choose "Upload Selected".

Your records will disappear from the home screen of your mobile app, which indicates a successful upload.

Hint: If you continue to see one or more observations in the list on your mobile app, this means your records have not been uploaded to the online iMapInvasives database. If this occurs, try uploading again.

Once the Scavenger Hunt is over and all participant data has been entered into iMapInvasives, the Pennsylvania iMapInvasives administrator will create a data analysis. The analysis will include:

• Maps showing all data collected from the event (showing presence and absence data)
• Counts for all (confirmed) presence records for each of the 15 species on the checklist
• Counties where any of the 15 species are newly found
• Any other notable findings

All Scavenger Hunt participants and registered iMapInvasives users in Pennsylvania will receive a copy of the Scavenger Hunt data analysis. It will also be posted on  www.PAiMapInvasives.org .

August 1-31:, 2020 Timeframe to survey for the 15 species on the Scavenger Hunt checklist

September 15, 2020: Date to have all presence and/or absence data entered into iMapInvasives

September 30, 2020: The prize drawing will take place and 20 participants of the Scavenger Hunt (who complete their species checklist) will be announced as winners of the event! Each winner will receive a FREE copy of " Pennsylvania's Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species ". (Species profile shown on right is taken from the field guide.)