Early detection of exotic terrestrial invertebrates at high-risk transportation centers

An Oregon Department of Agriculture port, rail, and container yard pilot survey focused on the highest risk sites for the introduction of exotic terrestrial plant pests. This project, in cooperation with USDA APHIS, was designed to facilitate early detection and prompt eradication of exotic agricultural pests. Site selection was based on container origins, volume, site characteristics, and logistical considerations. The survey utilized eight different methods to search for exotic terrestrial plant pests. These included pitfall traps, trap tiles, beat sheet sampling, sweep net transects, ant bait transects, visual surveys for mollusks, UV light trapping, and visual surveys for emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis). The overall survey period was from mid-March through mid-November. Three exotic species previously undocumented from the U.S. have been found in the earliest samples: Aegopinella nitidula (Draparnaud) (Gastropoda: Zonitidae), Nebria brevicollis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and Philopedon plagiatum (Schaller) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Such results early in this unique pilot project validate the methodology, purposefully broad target list, and transportation hubs as pathways for the introduction and establishment of exotic species.