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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Invasive carpet sea squirt spreading in Kosterhavet
The invasive carpet sea squirt (filtsjöpung), known as “sea vomit,” is rapidly spreading across the seafloor in Kosterhavet National Park, smothering organisms beneath it. Authorities say budget cuts have hampered monitoring and control, but they are now examining ways to slow the outbreak.
Kosterhavet, Bohuslän, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Rat alert at school: “It’s a rodent year”
Rats and droppings were found at Prästholmsskolan in Boden, Sweden; control measures are underway and the school says it acted immediately. The principal notes rodents have been sighted on the school grounds.
Boden, Norrbotten County, Sweden
NSD (Norrländska Socialdemokraten)

‘Explosion’ of invasive European green crabs reported in Southeast Alaska
The Metlakatla Indian Community, which has been at the forefront in the effort to control the invaders, has trapped more than 40,000 of them this year.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Invasive emerald ash borer forces North Yarmouth to remove ash trees from park
North Yarmouth, Maine removed about 80 ash trees from Baston Park after an emerald ash borer infestation was detected. The wood will be processed by the Cumberland Wood Bank for local heating under state-advised precautions.
North Yarmouth, Cumberland County, Maine, United States
The Portland Press Herald

Mowi blames climate change for latest salmon die-offs on Newfoundland's south coast
Mowi Canada East reports 166,262 farmed salmon died at two sites near Chaleur Bay on Newfoundland’s south coast, blaming repeated sea lice infestations intensified by warm surface waters, low freshwater runoff, and calm winds. The incident follows earlier 2025 mass mortalities linked to a thermocline inversion and warm, low-oxygen conditions.
Chaleur Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
CBC News

Counted a hundred farmed salmon in the lower part of Haukadalsá
An inspector from the Icelandic Fisheries Agency counted around 100 farmed salmon in the lower section of Haukadalsá, marking the largest occurrence of escaped farmed salmon in an Icelandic river, and plans are underway for removal operations including using anglers and Norwegian divers.
Haukadalsá, Dalabyggð, Iceland
visir.is

Invasive stone martens to be eradicated – hunt intensified: 'All must go'
The Swedish government has ordered the eradication of invasive Asian stone martens around Sölvesborg and Bromölla, deploying hunters to eliminate the small, inbred population to prevent costly spread.
Sölvesborg and Bromölla, Blekinge, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

A pest that feeds on bees and honey has been found in Alaska for the first time
Alaska officials confirmed the state’s first detection of the small hive beetle at an apiary in the Copper River region, likely linked to imported bees from Mississippi. Experts warn the pest can damage bee colonies and honey, urging coordinated action by beekeepers to contain and eradicate it.
Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Ruuhijärvi Swimming Area in Salla Closed for Rest of Week to Remove Dangerous Water Hemlock
Salla’s Ruuhijärvi beach and rug‐washing area is closed through the weekend after a highly poisonous water hemlock was found on the shore, and will be removed by authorities.
Salla, Lapland, Finland
Lapin Kansa

Municipal gardener urges community help to fight invasive lupines in Hammerfest
Municipal gardener Grete Larsen in Hammerfest warns that invasive Alaska lupine is crowding out native vegetation and asks residents to help remove flowers and seed pods.
Hammerfest, Finnmark, Norway
iFinnmark

Bat infestation closes New Brunswick school for remainder of academic year
Tobique Valley High School in Plaster Rock, N.B., has been temporarily closed and its 134 students and 22 staff relocated to nearby schools after a persistent bat infestation.
Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, Canada
CTV News

Tree Rotten or Infested?
A close look at this fallen spruce tree raises questions underlying causes and tree health.
College, Alaska, United States

A Beautiful Menace: Invasive Orange Hawkweed Spreads Through Southeast Alaska
The invasive orange hawkweed, known for its striking appearance, is rapidly spreading across Southeast Alaska, threatening local ecosystems by outcompeting native plants.
Petersburg, Alaska, United States
KFSK

A warming island's mice are breeding out of control and eating seabirds. An extermination is planned
The past few decades have been the most significant for the damage the mice have caused, said Dr. Anton Wolfaardt, the Mouse-Free Marion project manager. He said their numbers have increased hugely, mainly due to rising temperatures from climate change, which has turned a cold, windswept island into a warmer, drier, more hospitable home.
Marian, Prince Edward Islands
AP News

Invasive Elodea in Chena Slough
Invasive elodea decade history in the Chena slough with mitigation and persistent infestation.
North Pole, Alaska, United States

Something is eating salmonberry leaves
"This season we have observed many salmonberry bushes that appear to be defoliated. It seems something is eating the leaves. We have also noticed the berries look sickly."
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Mike Rasy , Katie Spellman, DeShana York, Stephen Payton

Scientists say Tongass trees could bounce back from budworm infestation
Scientists with the U.S. Forest Service believe that the blackheaded budworm, whose numbers surged over the past three years, is now in decline.
Chichigof Islands
Alaska Public Media

It’s not easy being evergreen in Juneau, as infestation of budworms lingers
Juneau, Alaska, is experiencing a persistent infestation of budworms that is causing significant defoliation, despite the outbreak tapering off in other regions.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Fireweed blooms hindered by foam?
Foam or saliva-looking substance on seen on flowering plants like fireweed and yarrow.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Derek Sikes, Julia Salt, Brandie Radigan, Chyna Williams

Invasive Elodea in Harding Lake
Elodea was first observed in Harding Lake in 2020 growing in isolated patches and has since been assessed and managed by the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District and its partners.
Salcha, Alaska, United States

Mouse Infestation “Unlike Anything” Exterminator Has Seen
In an interview with RÚV, a seasoned exterminator has stated that Iceland is currently experiencing a mouse infestation the likes of which he’s never seen. He encourages people to take the necessary precautions. A 43-year career in extermination Despite their small stature, mice can be an outsized pest for homeowners.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Southeast Alaska’s budworm infestation is still going, and they seem to be moving on to spruce trees
Last summer’s unusually warm weather fueled an explosion in the western blackheaded budworm, leaving masses of browning trees in many areas of Southeast. The worm, which is the larval stage of the budworm moth, is known to feed on the new growth of trees, leaving them with a brownish-red appearance.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
KCAW - Alaska Public Media

Infestation of caterpillars
A resident of Seldovia reported an infestation of worms infesting an area of salmonberry brush and nettle.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Spittle bug widespread in Clare, Ireland
I saw an extreme amount of spittle bugs not only on grasses and plants but on flowers.
Liscannor, Munster, Ireland

Tent caterpillar infestation returns to Castle Valley
The spraying 20 years ago was effective in reducing the infestation to a manageable level and seemed to do so for quite a while. That is, until now. Merrill Brady told me last week that he is inundated with tent caterpillars this year. His property is down by the greenbelt lots and the caterpillars are stripping the 60-foot cottonwoods and all other vegetation of all of their leaves.
Moab, Utah, United States
The Times-Independent

Beetle-killed trees raise safety concerns at Kenai Peninsula campgrounds
Carmichael pointed to a tree that fell across one of the riverside campground spots, taking out a fence. There’s another on the opposite side of the path, branches strewn across an open patch of snow. They’re among the 1,000 high-priority trees the city wants to remove due to safety concerns.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Jellyfish attack nuclear power plant
Scotland’s only working nuclear power plant at Torness shut down in an emergency procedure this week when jellyfish clogged the sea water-cooling intake pipes at the plant. To protect marine life and avert nuclear disasters, scientists are investigating the use of drones to provide estimates of jellyfish locations, amounts, and density.
Torness Power Station, Scotland
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Wild pigs invade national park
One of the most destructive and rapidly spreading invasive species on the continent has been found for the first time in a Canadian national park.
Elk Island National Park
CTV News, Edmonton

The wall lizard invasion of Vancouver Island
Decades ago, wall lizards from the Mediterranean got a toehold near Victoria. Now they’re island-hopping.
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Macleans.ca

Spittlebugs galore in Sand Lake area
"I am seeing spittlebugs deposits everywhere I look in the Sand Lake area."
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Changes in fish size and parasite load of Kasilof sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
"My husband and I have been dipnetting on the Kasilof since 2014. This year we noticed more small fish than usual and all but ~5 of the 35 fish we caught had parasites."
Kasilof, Alaska, United States

Caterpillars on Kesugi Ridge
Hikers on Kesugi Ridge observe a large abundance of Rusty Tussock Caterpillars all over cairns marking the trail from Coal Creek to Byre's Lake. They swarmed on the hiker's bodies and packs and from a distance covered structures to the point where they looked black.
Chase, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Carl Roland, Kendra Wissel, Adrienne Fleek, Sarah Stehn

Maine Has a Dangerous, Small, and Very Itchy Problem
Climate change is keeping temperatures higher in the fall, setting up browntail-moth caterpillars to boom in summer. Their hairs are barbed and hollow and there’s a reservoir of a toxin inside.
Portland, Maine, United States
The Atlantic

Lymantria dispar dispar outbreak
Lymantria dispar dispar also known as spongy moth was observed in Waterloo Ontario to be in unusually large quantities during the summer of 2021.
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Mouse Plague 'For every one that died, 10 more were coming in for the funeral' — agony of the plague that came to stay
Farmer Adam Macrae says it felt like thousands of mice descended on his Coonamble property almost overnight a few months back and since then he has spent tens of thousands trying to fight them. But they're still there.
Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia
ABC

‘Everyone Loses’: The Government Is Rationing Water at the California-Oregon Border
A major drought has forced farmers and Indigenous tribes to compete for water in a situation nobody ever wanted.
Lakeview, Oregon, United States
Vice

Zebra mussels on Marimo moss balls are causing an emergency in WA
Moss balls imported from Ukraine to pet shops in the United States have been found to house the invasive Zebra mussel. Once in bodies of water, this mussel reproduces rapidly and wreaks havoc on ecosystems.
Seattle, Washington, United States
Crosscut

Goldfish invasion of Hamilton Harbour
Pet fish dumped in local waterways have become the scourge of Hamilton’s marshes and harbour
Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada
Macleans.ca

Second year of Hemlock Looper Moth (Lambdina fiscellaria) outbreak returns to North Vancouver in larger numbers
The Hemlock Looper Moth outbreak is said to last between 3-4 years and now coincides with an outbreak of Phantom Hemlock Looper which saw its last outbreak more than a decade ago.
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Eastern Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

Emerald ash borer keeping some GRCA properties closed
That includes the trail at the south end of Wrigley Lake in North Dumfries
Byng Island Conservation Area, Ontario
KitchenerToday.com

Mysterious Holes in Leaves
Defoliation of willows, alders, and berry bushes may be related to different insect species depending on the plant.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Orangeville area trees swarming with invasive caterpillars
If you hear the pitter-patter of what sounds like light rainfall but can't feel a drop of water, you probably already know that you have a caterpillar problem.
58228527
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
Orangeville.com

Increasing catch of spruce bark beetles
"Throughout Viken in the lowlands there is an increasing evidence of spruce bark beetles and that is worrying. What is positive is that in Measure Package No 2 from the Government you receive financial compensation for wind fall logging and forest management" says Lars Kr. Haug, head of forestry at Viken Skog.
Viken county, Norway
Viken Skog

Record-breaking heatwave in Siberia
A prolonged heatwave in Siberia is “undoubtedly alarming”, climate scientists have said. The freak temperatures have been linked to wildfires, a huge oil spill and a plague of tree-eating moths.
Siberia, Russian Federation
the Guardian

Africa's Huge Locust Swarms Are Growing at the Worst Time
As coronavirus takes hold and farmers plant crops, the continent faces a new wave of locusts 20 times larger than one earlier this year.
Africa
Wired

Kenya suffers worst locust infestation in 70 years as millions of insects swarm farmland
UN urges immediate action as east African nations already experiencing devastating hunger see large areas of crops destroyed.
Kenya
the Guardian

Outbreak of tree-killing, allergy-inducing moths
An infestation of tussock moths, which have the ability to quickly kill healthy Douglas fir trees, is on the move in British Columbia and the Ministry of Forests says it has now been found further north than ever before.
Wycotte Flat, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Nepal is reeling from an unprecedented dengue outbreak
As climate change opens new regions to mosquitoes, Nepal suffers an outbreak of the painful viral disease that has sickened more than 9,000 people.
Nepal
Science News

An invasive algae is threatening the Strait of Gibraltar’s fishing grounds
Returning to port with tons of algae in their trammel nets, with hardly any fish, has become a common drama for the men fishing in Spain's Southern coast. The same “catastrophe” is also threatening the marine biodiversity of the area and piling up on beaches.
Spanish Mediterranean coast

Outbreak of hemlock looper moth hits North Shore, Metro watersheds
While there is no risk to human health, the species of moth can decimate forests
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Moth population takes flight in North Vancouver
The North Shore is discovering what life is like under moth rule. Eclipses of moths have been flitting, fluttering and generally wreaking havoc around any light source over the past week.
Lynn Canyon, British Columbia, Canada
North Shore News

Mass "Ballooning" Spider Event Responsible for Unusual Webs on Vegetation
Unusual webs spread across vegetation is likely related to a mass ballooning event, where spiders launched themselves in the air using the Earths magnetic charge and the wind.
St. Paul Island, Alaska, United States

Detectan presencia del 'Pez Diablo' en Sinaloa; una amenaza para la pesca y los ecosistemas
They detect the presence of the 'Devil Fish' in Sinaloa; a threat to fishing and ecosystems
Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
News

Wasilla store contends with ‘large-scale’ rodent problem
Fred Meyer is employing an aggressive pest-control plan after customers spotted mice in the store through Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm summer.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Late Birch Leaf Edge Miner Damage
Browning on birch leaves before time for the fall season transition.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle and Wood Boring Insects
"The spruce bark beetle epidemic currently ravaging Southcentral AK's spruce trees is well-known, but I haven't heard mention of other pests occurring in conjunction."
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Grasshopper invasion of Las Vegas may last weeks
An unusually wet year is responsible for the biblical-seeming swarm of pallid-winged grasshoppers, according to entomologists.
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
New York Times

Unusual Rusty Tussock Caterpillar (Orgyia antiqua)
"This is the first time I've seen this kind of caterpillar in this area."
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Rusty tussock moths invade Seward Peninsula
The rusty tussock moth has invaded the tundra in the Nome area, an infestation of the species not seen this far north before.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Invasive poison hemlock a growing concern on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District recently issued an alert sheet for Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Rusty Tussock Moth (Orgyia antiqua) Caterpillars in Nome
Unusually high abundance of rusty tussock moth caterpillars in the Nome area.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Graham, Jessie Moan, Robin Mulvey, Tammy Davis, John Lundquist, John Lundquist

Dead Ash Trees Across Western New York State
Churchville, New York, United States

Trees Devastated by Spruce Bark Beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis)
"My family and I have been RV camping across Alaska for the last several years. This year, the mass amounts of dead spruce trees have been more apparent than any year prior."
Chase, Alaska, United States
Adrienne Fleek, Desirae Mack, Tricia Wurtz

Insects feast on willows after unusually warm, dry spring
The willow blotch leaf miner appears to be having a banner year in Whitehorse, likely because of hot, dry conditions in the city this spring.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Northern B.C. lake closed to fishing due to infestation of invasive goldfish
Goldfish compete with native fish for food, potentially threatening an ecosystem.
Lost Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Invasive elodea prompts closure of Susitna Valley lakes
Elodea was discovered in Alexander Lake in 2014 by researchers checking minnow traps. At the time, it covered 20 percent of the lake but now has spread to 90 percent.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Southcentral Alaska’s spruce bark beetle infestation is spreading in Anchorage. There’s only one defense.
The worst-hit areas appear to be established neighborhoods with older spruce trees, especially in Turnagain and Spenard.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Rat infestation plagues Toronto neighbourhood
Her right hand protected by an old plastic bag, Donna Devlin carefully reaches into a shallow sewer basin in her driveway, and drags out a dead rat the size of her forearm. It's the latest casualty in a war that Devlin and her neighbours say they've been fighting, on and off, for two decades.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Roundheaded Wood Borer

The changing nature of Canada's forest supply as fires, bugs, and climate bite
Mills in the heart of Canada's timber industry have fallen quieter this winter as wildfires and infestations made worse by climate change have made vast tracts of once valuable forest into barren stands of dead trees.
Fraser Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Alaska Highway News

Ecological collapse of Toronto's ravine system has begun, researcher says
Ravines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC News

Flying Ants Invade Moscow
While the airborne ants may be a nuisance, Moscow City Hall’s environmental protection department said they are not dangerous.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Mountain pine beetle takes over Jasper National Park forests
The iconic pine trees blanketing Jasper National Park may never be the same as a mountain pine beetle epidemic has infected nearly half of the park's pine forest.
Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

Caterpillar Infestation
Caterpillar infestation in Village
Holy Cross, Alaska, United States

Bullfrogs threaten B.C. ecosystems
While their kin are declining worldwide, Canada’s largest amphibian, the bullfrog, is multiplying out of control in British Columbia — with some human help
Southwestern British Columbia
Canadian Geographic

Tent Caterpillar Infestation
At one point our entire red brick house was covered in the black caterpillars trying to reach the adjacent forest. The silk web-like nests began to appear on our trees in May and within weeks, the forests foliage was decimated.
Woodford, Ontario

Spruce beetles’ expansion into Denali National Park poses questions about forest changes
The aggressive infestation that took hold in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough north of Anchorage in 2016 has now spread north, covering hillsides in the communities outside the park with rustred dead trees and reaching into park boundaries.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States

Red Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) settles in Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Seeing brown birch leaves? It’s not necessarily a sign of fall. Blame leaf-munching larvae
The birch leafminer ate its way through birches across Southcentral and Interior Alaska this summer. Hot and dry weather earlier in summer may have been optimal for them.

Shellfish growers in Northwest’s oyster capital want ‘blitz’ against invasive green crabs
Shellfish growers in Willapa Bay in southwest Washington, the self-styled "Oyster Capital of the World," are alarmed by an invasion of potentially destructive nonnative European green crabs. Some are asking for an all-out trapping offensive to corral the invasive species.
Ocean Park, Washington, United States
opb

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