For the casual invasivore, crayfish is hard to beat. The rusty crayfish, native of the Ohio River basin, is an aggressive, highly destructive invasive species. They have large, rust-colored spots on both sides of their shell.
Since the green crab was first recorded in Massachusetts in 1817, it has been hard to ignore. It's one of the most successful coastal invaders–a few minutes flipping rocks in its new range can turn up dozens, brandishing claws as they retreat to the crags.
The first sighting of the Asian shore crab in the US was at Townsend Inlet, New Jersey, in 1988. Though the source is unknown, it is likely that the crabs were discharged as larvae from the ballast water of a cargo ship.
First appearing in New England in the 1860s, periwinkles are now found along the coast wherever there’s hard substrate, from Labrador to Maryland and along the West Coast.
With primitive lungs, sharp teeth, and a flattened snout, snakeheads arrived in Maryland in 2002. They were soon dubbed Frankenfish, but that hasn’t stopped bowhunters and anglers from searching out the invasive fish.
Red swamp crayfish are prolific invaders damaging wetlands, crops, and native ecosystems across the US. Luckily, they're also delicious—with tender tail meat perfect for boils, étouffée, or a simple garlic sauté.
Native to the Old World, burdock’s introduction to North America was noted in 1672 by John Josselyn, a sharp-eyed English visitor, who used "Gerard’s Herbal: The Historie of Plants" of 1597 as a field guide.
You look out over your lawn and curse. The dandelion is back again, doing what it does best: invading. It’s so common that you may be surprised to learn it’s not a native species—it’s one of the 2,000 or so herbs brought over by European settlers.
Nutria were brought to the US for the fur trade. Smaller than a beaver, larger than a muskrat, they escaped into wetlands, chewing through whatever needed to be chewed through. Their meat is lean and mild, like rabbit or the dark meat of chicken
