Invasive Species

Many of the most damaging pest species originated from a land far away. Why? Are those species just more destructive than our native insects? Why don’t these pests cause the same level of damage in their native ranges? Students will learn about the life history of the major invasive pests in our area and why natural enemies are essential to the proper population control of any species anywhere. By looking at the timeline of introduction for various easily recognizable species, kids will come to understand the process of naturalization and how local farmers work to combat these pests during that process.