Back story: costs of invasives.

Back Story | COSTS OF INVASIVES

The Gallery pear tree is among some 50,000 foreign
species of all sorts that have moved into the United
States, some intentionally, some not. Europe's
latest count reveals at least 10,000. A small
percentage of invasives prove to be a noticeable pain
in the pocketbook.

                                        Cost per year
                      Reasons for       in millions
Invader               U.S. cost         of dollars

Purple loosestrife    control, loss     45
Lythrum salicaria

Melaleuca             control           3-6
Melaleuca
  quinquenervia

Feral pig             loss, damage,     800.5
Sus scrofa              control

Green crab            loss, damage      44
Carcinus maenas

Imported fire ant     loss, damage,     1,000
Solenopsis              control
  invicta

                                        Cost per year
                      Country:          in millions
                      Reasons           of euros
Invader               for cost

Water hyacinth        Spain: control,   3.35
Eichhornia              eradication
  crassipes

Marine alga           Norway: toxic     8.18
Chrysochromulina        bloom
  polylepis

Nutria                Italy: control,   2.85
Myocastor coypus        damage