Chaparral Invasive species

Black Mustard Brassica nigra blankets the hills with yellow and was introduced from the Mediterranean during the Mission period. Its young leaves are edible, like peppery spinach. Its roots leak chemicals that stop other plants from growing, and it crowds out native wildflowers.

Giant Reed Arundo donax is found near water and is also planted as a wind-break around agricultural fields. Although nurseries no longer sell it, the plant has taken over riversides throughout North America, stifling other plants. It was introduced from the Mediterranean to the Los Angeles area in the 1820s for roofing and erosion control.

The Goldspotted Oak Borer Agrilus auroguttatus is an invasive beetle that has killed over 80,000 oak trees in Southern California since arriving around 2004 from Arizona. Citizen Scientists are working with cities to track and eradicate the beetle if it appears in their neighborhood as it moves north. 

This invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys has an egg of a Japanese parasite wasp on its back which is a biocontrol agent. The stink bug came from Asia and eats fruits and vegetable crops, as well as chaparral berries.

The Nutria or Coypu Myocastor coypus is a very large water rodent that destroys river areas in the California Central Valley. They were introduced to the US from South America for the fur trade in the 1800s, and brought back illegally to California from Oregon recently. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Invasive Species program removes them when notified.