Use VS Species ID Cards to find out whether a certain native or invasive species lives in your community. Provide Species Experts with the written and visual evidence they need to confirm your identification!

What is an invasive species?

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Freshwater ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Coastal ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Upland ID Cards

Invasive species
Native species

Fieldwork Toolkits

Your one-stop-shop to find datasheets and species ID cards and more! These links will help you find the right toolkit for the coastal, freshwater, or upland ecosystem you're investigating.

Click here to find the right fieldwork toolkit for you.

Freshwater Invasive Species Cards

Submerged plants

Brazilian waterweed, Egeria densa
Curly leaf pondweed, Potamogeton crispus
Eurasian watermilfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum
European naiad, Najas minor
Fanwort, Cabomba caroliniana
Hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata
Variable watermilfoil, Myriophyllum heterophyllum

Floating-leaved plants

Giant salvinia, Salvinia molesta
Water chestnut, Trapa natans
Yellow floating heart, Nymphoides peltata

Algae

Rock snot, Didymosphenia geminata

Macroinvertebrates

Chinese mystery snail, Cipangopaludina chinensisUpdated!

Crab

Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis UPDATED with Field Mission

Crayfish

Crayfish, unidentified

Non-Native Species

Banded mystery snail, Viviparus georgianusNEW!

Freshwater Native Species Cards

Submerged plants

Common bladderwort, Utricularia macrorhiza
Coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum
Prickly hornwort, Ceratophyllum echinatum
Slender naiad, Najas flexilis
Clasping leaf pondweed, Potamogeton richardsonii

Floating-leaved plants

Spatterdock, Nuphar variegata
Little floating heart, Nymphoides cordata

Emergent plants

Narrow-leaved cattail, Typha angustifolia
Broad-leaved cattail, Typha latifolia

Macroinvertebrates

Brown mystery snail, Campeloma decisumNEW!

Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet(Use this sheet for easy identification in the field. It works well as a species card companion or on its own.)

Sensitive to Pollution

caddisfly larva, Trichoptera
dobsonfly larva, Megaloptera
mayfly larva, Ephemeroptera
Gilled snails - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet
riffle beetle, Coleoptera
stonefly larva, Plecoptera
water penny, Coleoptera

Somewhat Tolerant of Pollution

cranefly, Diptera
crayfish, unidentified
damselfly nymph, Zygoptera
dragonfly nymph, Anisoptera
scud, Gammaridea (Amphipod)
sowbug, Isopoda
Fishfly - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet
alderfly, Megaloptera
watersnipe fly, Diptera

Tolerant of Pollution

tubifex worm, Oligochaetae
black fly larva, Simuliidae
leech, Hirudinea
planarian flatworm, Planariidae
mosquito, Diptera
water scorpion, Nepidae
midge, Diptera
Pouch snails - See the Macroinvertebrate Identification Sheet

Fairy shrimp, Eubranchipus spp.NEW with field mission!

Crayfish

Crayfish, unidentified

Fish

Shad, Alosa spp.NEW with Field Mission!

Coastal Invasive Species Cards

Algae

Asian red algae, Dasysiphonia japonica (formerly Heterosiphonia japonica)
Dead man's fingers, Codium fragile

Bryozoans

Lacy crust bryozoan, Membranipora membranacea

Tunicates

Orange sheath tunicate, Botrylloides violaceus
Leathery sea squirt, Stylea clavaNew!

Crabs

Green crab, Carcinus maenas
Hairy-clawed shore crab, Hemigrapsus penicillatus
Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis UPDATED with Field Mission

Mollusks

Common periwinkle, Littorina littorea
Rapa whelk, Rapana venosa

Plants

Beach rose, Rosa rugosa
Perennial pepperweed, Lepidium latifoliumBrand NEW with field mission!

NON-NATIVE TO MAINE

Sea potato, Colpomenia peregrinaNEW with field mission!

Coastal Native Species Cards

Algae

Bladder wrack, Fucus vesiculosusUPDATED!
Knotted wrack, Ascophyllum nodosum
Sea cauliflower, Leathesia marinaNEW with field mission!
Spiral wrack, Fucus spiralisNEW!

Crustaceans

American lobster, Homarus americanus
Jonah crab, Cancer borealis
Rock crab, Cancer irroratus

Mollusks

Smooth periwinkle, Littorina obtusata
Rough periwinkle, Littorina saxatilis

Echinoderms

Forbes sea star, Asterias forbesiNEW with field mission!
Northern sea star, Asterias rubensNEW with field mission!

Plants

Beach pea, Lathyrus japonicus
Pickleweed, Salicornia depressa
Salt Hay, Spartina patens
Sea lavender, Limonium carolinianum
Smooth Cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora

Upland Invasive Species Cards

Plants

Bamboo grass, Microstegium vimineum
Beach rose, Rosa rugosa
Bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara
Black swallowwort, Cynanchum louiseae
Burning bush, Euonymus alatus
Common barberry, Berberis vulgarisUPDATED!
Common buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica
Common reed, Phragmites australis
Crownvetch, Securigera variaNEW!
Garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata
Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum
Giant knotweed, Fallopia sachalinensis
Glossy buckthorn, Frangula alnus
Goutweed, Aegopodium podagraria L.
Japanese barberry, Berberis thunbergii
Himalayan balsam, Impatiens glanduliferaNEW!
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, WINTER ID
Lupine, Lupinus polyphyllus
Mile-a-minute weed, Polygonun perfoliatum
Morrow's honeysuckle, Lonicera morrowii
Multiflora rose, Rosa multiflora
Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus UPDATED!
Porcelain-berry, Ampelopsis brevipedunculat
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, Spring/Summer ID
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, Fall/Winter ID

Invertebrates

Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis
Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae
Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica
Red pine scale, Matsucoccus matsumuraeNEW with field mission!
Winter moth, Operophtera brumata

NON-NATIVE TO MAINE

Galerucella beetle, Galerucella
Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar

Upland Native Species Cards

Plants

American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens
Balsam fir, Abies balsamea
Balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera
Beach pea, Lathyrus japonicus
Black spruce, Picea mariana
Blue-bead lily, Clintonia borealis
Broad-leaved cattail, Typha latifolia
Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
Bush honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera
Canadian yew, Taxus canadensis
Choke cherry, Prunus virginiana
Cow parsnip, Heracleum maximum
Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis
Gray birch, Betula populifolia
Highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum
Highbush cranberry, Viburnum trilobum
Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium
Maple-leaf viburnum, Viburnum acerfolium
Meadow rose, Rosa blanda
Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
Narrow-leaved cattail, Typha angustifolia
Northern bayberry, Myrica pensylvanica
Orange jewelweed, Impatiens capensisUPDATED!
Pitch pine, Pinus rigida
Pussy willow, Salix discolor
Queen Anne's lace, Daucus carota
Red columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
Red maple, Acer rubrum
Red pine, Pinus resinosa
Redtwig dogwood, Cornus sericea
Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis
Sheep laurel, Kalmia angustifolia
Staghorn sumac, Rhus hirta
Sweet fern, Comptonia peregrina
Tamarack, Larix laricina
White birch, Betula papyrifera
White pine, Pinus strobus
Wild geranium, Geranium maculatum
Winterberry, Ilex verticillata
Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens
Yellow birch, Betula alleghaniensis

Invertebrates

Firefly, Lampyridae
White spotted sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus

Amphibians

Spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum NEW with field mission!
Wood frog, Rana sylvatica NEW with field mission!

Mammals

New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis (ID card created by the Maine New England Cottontail Working Group) NEW with field mission!