Eurasian milfoil is a sensitive looking plant that was once a everyday flora to find in fresh water fish tanks.

All The Same, It did not stay there. Now it is thought to be an predatory species that threatens The northern Us fresh water streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.

In its domestic Eurasian surroundings it is a comparatively harmless plant (but still a bit of a pest) but here, out of its regular waters, it takes over and demolish ecosystems, clogs water intakes and power plants, and makes them unsuitable for recreational purposes.

A Number Of hypotheses are around that explain its foundation. One is that it hitched a ride on the ballast of a ship coming from Europe or Asia. That is a good guess. When they tested ships departing invaded water, 25 percent carried some milfoil with it. The other main possibility is it was introduced by people throwing out fish tank plants or packing material used to ship live worms.

The most dangerous thing about this flora is that it can adapt to live in virtually every kind of aquatic habitat in the Northern states. It can live in the cold of Washington State or the warmth of Florida. From pristine waters of the Rockies to the salty waters of the salt marshes it can flourish. To make its life easier, nothing seems to like eating it.

Once established it spreads quickly in waters that range from 2 feet to up to 30 feet, matting just below the surface and clogging out the native vegetation. Some floras like millet are given little chance to grow, which causes troubles because they are a food source for many and a home for small marine animals. This matted growth also causes trouble for any mammals or birds that fish for their food. Further more, the huge mats keep the wind from properly aerating the water and choking adult fish as well as assisting spawn algae blooms which further exacerbate the problem.

These plants are problematic to individuals as well. Not only does milfoil decrease water quality but the mats make shoreline bathing hopeless. Milfoil impedes fish reproduction, which means fewer fishermen. Milfoil is also a problem for boaters because it can become entangled on the engine, cause risks for water skiers and block navigation hazards from the sailors view.

Residential Areas and businesses are also put at a disadvantage because of this little water flora. Water intakes or over flows can get blocked leading to shortages in some areas and flooding in others. Dikes and electrical energy output can also be touched if the water plant mats get caught up in the dams.

Milfoil control has been challenging. In General poisons are out of the question as they destroy the very ecosystem they were meant to save. Physically removing the flora isn’t fully productive because the bits that break off can form new plants elsewhere. For that reason the large mechanical harvesters are only used in the worst cases and then only as a first step. Milfoil has been more successfully removed by vacuum dredging, which can pick up any damaged pieces left behind. A weevil maybe the solution to the milfoil dilemma as it love to eat the water plant and is a natural way to fight the weed.

Milfoil is just one type of unwanted species that has outstayed its welcome; many other unwanted aquatic plants are still thriving across the nation. When plants or creatures are inserted outside their natural surroundings, you can’t foresee the implications.