Invasive Species Eating Through 90 Billion Dollars of US Infrastructure Annually
- The invasive zebra mussel is now causing over $1 billion in damage annually by clogging water pipes across the Great Lakes region, and a new study shows they've spread to over 700 lakes nationwide.
- A voracious species of giant, burrowing earthworms known as the 'jumping worm' has been found in 34 states, stripping forest floors of nutrients and accelerating erosion at an alarming rate.
- The spotted lanternfly, first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, has now infested 17 states and is costing the agricultural industry an estimated $1.4 billion each year in crop damage and containment efforts.
- Officials are warning boaters, hikers, and campers to 'Clean, Drain, and Dry' all equipment, as the financial toll from invasive creep, from power plant shutdowns to bridge decays, has hit a jaw-dropping $90 billion annually.
- The feral hog population in the South, now exceeding 6 million pigs, is causing $2.5 billion in damages each year by tearing up farmland, golf courses, and even cemeteries while spreading disease.