Eurasian milfoil is a delicate looking plant that was once a common plant to find in fresh water fish tanks.

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

In its domestic Eurasian environment it is a relatively innocent flora (but still a bit of a pest) but here, out of its normal waters, it takes over and demolish ecosystems, clogs water intakes and power plants, and makes them undesirable for recreational purposes.

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

The most hazardous thing about this plant is that it can adapt to live in virtually every kind of aquatic habitat in North America. It can live in the cold of Washington State or the warmth of Florida. From fresh waters of the Rockies to the brackish waters of the salt marshes it can thrive. To make its life easier, nothing seems to like eating it.

Once established it spreads quickly in waters that range from two feet to up to thirty feet, matting just below the surface and choking out the native vegetation. Some plants like millet are given small chance to grow, which causes troubles because they are a food source for many and a home for small aquatic creatures. This tangled growth also causes difficulty for any mammals or birds that fish for their food. Further more, the large mats keep the wind from properly aerating the water and choking adult fish as well as helping 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 sailors because it can become trapped on the engine, cause dangers for water skiers and block navigation hazards from the boatmen view.

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

Milfoil control has been difficult. Generally poisonous substances are out of the question as they destroy the very ecosystem they were meant to save. Physically removing the plant isn’t fully successful because the parts that break off can form new plants somewhere else. 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 dragging, which can pick up any broken 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 overstayed its welcome; many other invasive aquatic plants are still thriving across the nation. When plants or creatures are inserted outside their natural surroundings, you can’t anticipate the significances.