Friend or Foe? Invasive Species Complicate Matters
Not all bugs are pests. Learn about some invasive species that could impact the ecology in and around Burlington.
By Nicci Kadilak, editor in chief, and Lucy Hansen, Burlington assistant conservation administrator
This story is featured in the 2025 Summer Buzz Magazine, your guide to having the best time this season. You can read our magazine now or purchase your very own print edition.
Bugs and other insects often get a bad rap, and it’s true that some species can be annoying or destructive to gardens or property. Others deliver painful bites, nasty stings, and even illness. But not every bug is a pest!
Your garden, yard, and property likely feature many bugs that provide pest control and pollination and serve as food sources for birds and other creatures. Our ecosystem exists in a delicate balance, though, and when invasive non-native species start to take up residence in a home that’s not their own, it can disrupt that balance.
Take, for example, the spongy moth, which was introduced to the U.S. in 1869 by Leopold Trouvelot, amateur entomologist, who imported spongy moth eggs to Medford, MA. They later escaped his care, and by the 1880s, spongy moth colonies started causing severe defoliation in eastern Massachusetts.
State governments and environmental agencies may take several actions to prevent the spread of invasive insects, including:
- Introducing native predators
- Introducing or encouraging bacteria and fungus that target the organism
- Applying pesticide
- Education campaigns for raising awareness among citizens
Still, population control of invasive species is hard work. The solution requires coordinated efforts and is often an ongoing concern. If you notice evidence of invasive insects, Conservation Department staff can give you advice — just give them a call at 781-270-1655.
While it bears a resemblance to the native fall webworm, the spongy moth, which is native to Europe and Asia, did not co-evolve with the local ecosystem. The escaped specimens, with few natural predators and a plentiful food source, ate their way through the foliage of thousands of trees and reproduced largely unchecked.
More than 150 years later, the state still deals with periodic population surges.
Other invasive insects that have been seen in Massachusetts include the brown marmorated stink bug, the Asian longhorn beetle, and the spotted lanternfly, which has been seen as close by as Lynn and Arlington.
