Flora's illustrated guide to managing invasive species

Most people understand that invasive species are harmful to the planet’s ecosystems, but they're often unsure how to take action. This two-part guide highlights six invasive species and provides easy, effective ways to minimize their harm to our planet.

Flora Duckworth-Guerra designed the animations and illustrations to help people better visualize and understand these issues through storytelling. Each piece is based on research she conducted, then translated into visuals, passing first through quick sketching, storyboarding, and creative dialogue with her mentor.

Butterfly bush

Flora Duckworth-GuerraThe butterfly bush, though beautiful, is an invasive plant from Central China that harms native ecosystems.

The butterfly bush is an invasive plant native to Central China that supports larval development in only one species of butterfly in North America. Although very pretty, butterfly bush should stay away from your garden. Here’s how you can do your part in controlling it:

• Deadheading: When you deadhead the blooms, you can help prevent the plant from invading. To deadhead, simply cut off the spent part of the flower (the brown part that is no longer blooming). Deadheading stops the butterfly bush from spreading its seeds, so it can’t propagate.
• Remove seedlings: If any seeds escape, they can turn into seedlings that grow quickly into mature plants, continuing the cycle. Removing seedlings by plucking them from the ground is a crucial step in disrupting their unchecked propagation.
• Remove the main plant: Another effective method to halt future propagation of butterfly bushes is to remove the plant from your garden.

Also, if you're thinking of removing your butterfly bush, you might consider some native alternatives that look similar. Here are some suggestions:

 Five native alternatives:

• The Buttonbush is a shrub with circular flowers that can be planted in your garden, provided you have a moist area. 
• Summersweet is a flower that blooms in the summer and resembles the butterfly bush with its cone-shaped flowers. 
• New Jersey Tea looks similar to the butterfly bush, making it a great option for your garden if you like this style of plant. 
• Butterfly Milkweed is native to Michigan and supports many pollinators, especially monarch butterflies.
• Gaura, also known as Beeblossom, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial insects.

                                         
Sea lamprey

Flora Duckworth-GuerraSea lampreys are invasive parasites that devastate Michigan’s native fish and threaten the state’s $7 billion Great Lakes fishery.

Here are a few interesting facts about sea lampreys to get started.

• They were around before the dinosaurs
• Sea lampreys are born without eyes, fins, or teeth.
• Adult sea lampreys have over 100 teeth.
• A single sea lamprey is capable of killing up to 40 pounds of host fish during its feeding lifespan. (Source: Great Lakes Fishery Commission)

 
What is being done in Michigan to control the sea lamprey?

• A popular method is to destroy the sea lamprey larvae before they can prey on fish. The larvae are killed by applying lampricides to a stream to prevent larvae from becoming adult sea lampreys.
• Traps are installed to prevent sea lamprey from going upstream. These traps include funnels that will confuse sea lampreys when they enter, or nets that will hold them back. 
• Other methods involve trapping and releasing male sea lampreys. The lampreys are then released into Lake Superior tributaries to disrupt reproduction.

How can we help?

• By learning to identify them, one can use this knowledge to prevent sea lampreys from escaping the barriers. Sea lampreys, often mistaken for eels, have a toothy mouth, small eyes, and coloring that can range from grayish-brown to darker yellow. (Visit this website to learn how to spot a sea lamprey). 
• Support the efforts of those working to control sea lampreys by volunteering, donating to research and conservation organizations, and advocating with elected officials for policies that positively impact the Great Lakes. 
• Learn to correctly handle a fish caught with a sea lamprey attached. Avoid contact with the sea lamprey, as they may bite; use a dip net or hook with a long handle to retrieve your fish. If it’s a large fish, wear gloves to hold the fish while removing the sea lamprey. 

Giant koi

Flora Duckworth-GuerraGiant koi can grow too big for home ponds, but letting them go in the wild is a bad idea. They keep growing and can harm the environment.

Giant koi are fish that grow so large that their owners have to release them into the wild. However, this isn't a good idea. When koi fish are released into the wild, they keep growing bigger and bigger.

Giant koi fish, when released in Michigan, uproot aquatic plant life, causing harm to native fish populations.

If someone wants to get rid of their pet koi fish, they can call a koi rescue organization, like “Midwest Pond and Koi Society” (MPKS), or contact a local aquarium for rehoming options listed on this site.

All illustrations are by Flora Duckworth-Guerra.
Flora Duckworth-Guerra
Flora Duckworth-Guerra is a Grand Rapids Public Schools student heading to Blandford School this fall. The school, a choice option, emphasizes environmental awareness, creativity, and leadership. While her artistic talents are uniquely hers, they're also partly influenced by her mother, local artist Alynn Guerra. Over the weekends this spring, Flora could often be found in her community, offering hand-drawn pet portraits to neighborhood members whose dogs sat for her. 

This article is part of Rapid Growth's Voices of Youth series, which features content created by Kent County youth in partnership with Rapid Growth staff mentors, as well as feature stories by adult writers that examine issues of importance to local youth.

To learn more about Rapid Growth's Voices of Youth project and read other installments in the series, click here. This series is made possible via underwriting sponsorships from the Steelcase Foundation and Kent ISD.