Early detection and timely reporting is key to preventing the establishment of invasive species as well as limiting the potential impact they may have.
I think I see an invasive species, what should I do?
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- Send an email to invasives@illinois.edu
- Location of the suspect invasive species. If possible, provide GPS coordinates. At a minimum, please share an address, or describe the position relative to the nearest crossroads or easily identifiable landmark. Also, identify the town (or nearest town), county, and state.
- Date you saw the suspect invasive species.
- Your name and contact information.
- Photographs. Always take pictures if you can do so without risk to yourself or others.
I have a physical sample, what should I do?
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- Please reach out in a similar manner as above via email and share the details of when, where and how you found the sample. This will determine if we need to have the sample submitted.
- Live insects can escape from containers; therefore, it is very important that you kill (do not squish) the insect. Place the insect into a spill-proof jar or vial containing rubbing alcohol (hand sanitizer or white vinegar are suitable alternatives). You can also freeze the insect before placing it into a sealable crush-proof container. If dealing with plant material, handle it as if it contains a live pest (i.e., secure plant material so that an emerging pest could not escape). Wrap plant material in paper bags or newspaper.
Remember, it’s all in the details! The more information you can provide, the more help we have when investigating your report.