The introduced invasive species spotted knapweed is easily identified once the plant produces its distinctive bright-pink flowers. But at this stage it is already well past the stage where controlling its spread is easy or feasible, warns the Invasive Species Council of Manitoba.

Spotted knapweed could do more harm than leafy spurge

The ISCM declared August Invasive Species Month and is highlighting the risks associated with the potential spread of spotted knapweed

The Invasive Species Council of Manitoba wants all Manitobans to be on the lookout for an invasive plant species now spreading across Manitoba that has the potential to do as much or more damage as leafy spurge. Spotted knapweed was first detected in southeastern Manitoba in 2009 but has more recently been found at sites

Researchers believe wild boars are more prevalent than many people realize.

Tracking the elusive but destructive wild boar

The highly reclusive wild boar may be responsible for much more 
crop damage than previously thought

Ruth Kost has never seen a wild boar before but she’s hoping that will change after a summer spent tracking the elusive beast. “They don’t like to show themselves,” said the University of Saskatchewan master’s student. “They are kind of reclusive, they avoid people… and they’re very aware of hunting pressures.” But just because you


wild boar

Wild boars continue on the increase

Manitoba Conservation reports the last known boar sighting was in late November of 2014

Wild boars continue to be a pest in parts of western Manitoba, and some producers at Ag Days this year told Manitoba Conservation officials that the critters have developed a particular liking for corn. Manitoba Conservation estimates that there are currently about 50 wild boars active in the province. “The last recorded kill was near

Oil derrick

One invasive species leads to another

Human development linked with spread of invasive plants

One invasive species leads to another, says an article published in the current issue of Rangeland Ecology & Management. A release from the magazine’s publisher, the Society for Range Management, says the authors began with the idea that as people develop a rural area, they change the original habitat by introducing foreign species and spreading


Invasive Species Lie In Wait, Strike After Decades

Animals and plants introduced from foreign habitats may not reveal themselves to be harmful “invasive” species for decades, according to a recently published European study. Species that are moved away from their natural predators back home can displace native species in their new habitats, and scientists say the problem already costs Europe 12 billion euros

Maintaining Trade Is Ongoing Battle – for Aug. 5, 2010

As everyone knows, agriculture is at the mercy of the weather. Agriculture is also at the mercy of trade disruptions. Saskatchewan is the world’s largest exporter of canaryseed and a trade issue has emerged with Mexico, our largest customer. Mexican officials have been complaining about the level of wild buckwheat seeds within canaryseed shipments. Back


Climate Change Forcing Insect Species Northward

The biggest harbingers of climate change may be some of nature’s smallest creatures: insects. A massive northward migration of insects is currently underway, signalling a rise in global temperatures, a scientific conference in Winnipeg heard. Over the past 25 years, 52 per cent of insects species have moved their natural habitats to the north by