VT News

Articles and videos from VT News that highlight invasive species  research, education, & engagement

Spongy moth

Hot off the press

September 10, 2025

Working with multiple Indigenous communities and academic institutions, this collaborative project explores Indigenous perspectives on Bimiizii (sea lamprey), an invasive species introduced to the Great Lakes in the mid-1800s.

September 9, 2025

The boxwood is one of the most popular ornamental evergreen shrubs in the U.S. Known for low maintenance requirements and resistance to deer, these beloved ornamental plants are used in homeowners’ yards and landscaping across Virginia. Now, an invasive insect is threatening them.

July 16, 2025

A new study led by Virginia Tech found that volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect the elusive egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that's damaging farms and forests across the eastern and central U.S.

Media archive

Video highlight

Gabrielle Ripa, a Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech and an affiliate of the Invasive Species Collaborative, is studying invasive non-native plant species in restored and unrestored streams in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. Ripa is placing bioacoustic recorders at various locations, and the data will be used to analyze the effect invasive plants have on the soundscape of an ecosystem.