Warning over 'serious aquatic invader' posing a major threat in Aussie state
Water lettuce — a free-floating plant that grows and spreads rapidly — is a 'serious aquatic invader', Biosecurity Queensland warned this week. While its origins are unknown, the weed can be found in various tropical countries and was introduced to Australia as an aquarium and garden pond plant.
However, it has since become a significant problem in NSW and eastern Queensland, where it can be found in several areas as a result of flooding and abandonment.
What is water lettuce?
As its name suggests, the weed resembles a small, floating, open head of lettuce, however, despite its appearance, it's not edible. The plant features pale green fan-shaped, hairy leaves, small pale white to green flowers and egg-shaped fruit that contain seeds.
Water lettuce (pistia stratiotes) prefers stationary or slow-moving streams with high nutrient concentrations.
Why is water lettuce a problem?
The species, which sees a spike in growth as temperatures warm up in spring, can form dense mats that cover rivers, wetlands, dams, reservoirs and irrigation canals, restricting water flow and creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes, biosecurity authorities told Yahoo News.
The swathes of plants can also prevent light penetration and exchange of gasses, leading to a drop in oxygen in the water, and therefore damaging native ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Each one can generate several daughter plants, which helps its rapid spread, along with seeds and water movement.
In Queensland, water lettuce is regarded as a category three restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014, and it is illegal to keep, give away or release into the environment. However, not everyone appears to be aware of that fact, prompting authorities to issue an alert online.
'Some people keep it as an ornamental and offer it for sale as a pond plant on social media,' a Department of Primary Industries spokesperson told Yahoo. 'This increases the risk of spread, particularly into other states where water lettuce is not an established invasive species.'
Queensland residents who find the weed on their property are obligated to take practical steps to minimise its spread. Water lettuce is also considered to be a weed in NSW and a declared pest in WA.
🌴 Aussie council's warning over 'beautiful' garden feature smothering city suburbs
🌼 Invasive weed vanishes from tourist attraction thanks to tiny 'miracle'
🌳 Woman's 'incredible' 500-year-old discovery hidden behind invasive weed
How do I remove water lettuce?
The invasive weed can be removed by hand if it is found in small numbers. Herbicides are often the only practical method for larger infestations, and spraying results in a quicker death in the warmer months.
For more information or advice, contact your local government.
'One of the world's worst weeds' found in Aussie city for first time
Water lettuce isn't the only aquatic invader causing issues in Australia. Earlier this year, authorities in the Top End sounded the alarm after 'one of the world's worst weeds' was discovered in the region for the very first recorded time.
Authorities attended a Darwin property in June after receiving a tip about a suspicious plant being offered online. There, they took samples of the plant from a contained garden pond which was later confirmed to be Amazon frogbit, an invasive weed that is also capable of choking waterways.
'The property owner was unaware they had Amazon frogbit and we are thankful a member of the public familiar with such weeds brought this to our attention,' a Department of Lands, Planning and Environment spokesperson told Yahoo News at the time.
'The owner informed us that he did not know where the frogbit had come from and stated that it had appeared in the pond around three months ago during the 2025 wet season.'
While the weed is considered a pest in some local government areas in Queensland, it is not actually prohibited in the state and can even be purchased. However, south of the border it's a different story. In NSW it is illegal to buy, sell, trade or move it into the state, with on-the-spot fines as high as $2,000 for anyone caught doing so.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Council warning as 'camouflaged' species takes over car parks, schools and hospitals
Behind a fenced-off pathway at a popular caravan park near the border of New South Wales and Queensland lies a near-perfectly camouflaged native animal. Most people hear the distinctive cry of the bush-stone curlew before they see it, thanks to its grey colouring which allows it to blend perfectly into an urban environment. But as the iconic bird's nesting period kicks off across several states, one local council has issued a warning to local residents. "They are well camouflaged," Amy Nicholls, Sustainability and Environment Project Officer from Tweed Shire Council, told Yahoo News. "It's breeding time, so now is the time to keep an eye out." Amy explained that the birds have adapted well to their urban environment, and it's common to see them make nests in car parks, schools, workplaces, hospital grounds and even caravan parks. "People say 'why are they so stupid sitting in a car park', but they are not being stupid, they are just adapting to what is now our urban environment," she said. The birds tend to prefer wide open spaces where they can spot predators from a distance. Bush stone curlews under threat by drivers and invasive species While their numbers remain strong in parts of Queensland, on the other side of the border in New South Wales, the story is completely different. The curlew is listed as an endangered species in New South Wales and Victoria and threatened in South Australia. They face several major threats, including road strikes, habitat loss and predation by invasive species like foxes and cats, as well as domestic dogs. "We have seen huge amounts of losses due to vehicle strikes and attacks by domestic pets," she explained. But Tweed's unique location close to the border makes the council's efforts all the more important as they attempt to push the birds' population further south. "We're at the top of NSW, so we have the most impact on the population of curlews back into the state," Amy said. The council has urged residents not only to keep an eye out for the birds, but also to report nests as they pop up. Crews will then monitor the birds, as well as put up fencing and signage to warn residents about their presence. Community 'really involved' in conservation efforts Remarkably, the community has become "really involved" in protecting the birds, according to Amy. "We have so many people out there who adore curlews," she said. "Once you've got a nesting pair in your space, you'll see them throughout the year and beyond." The birds nest in pairs and "share the workload equally between the male and the female". This means that one sits on the nest to keep the eggs at the right temperature, while the other forages for food. They repeat this process for the 28-day incubation process. The birds can nest up to four times during the long breeding period, which runs from the end of July and ends in January. When the chicks are young, "that is a very sensitive period", Amy explained. "They don't understand the threats of vehicles," she explained, adding that they are especially hard to spot at night. 🚊 Incredible discovery centimetres from train tracks 🚘 Warning to Aussie drivers after tiny roadside find 🐦 Rare creature spotted outside Aussie workplace Curlews make return to island after 50 years Curlews hit headlines last month as extensive conservation efforts saw the native species be reintroduced on Victoria's Philip Island for the first time in 50 years. The bush stone-curlew population suffered a drastic loss due to fox predation. However, after the island was declared fox-free in 2017 after 25 years of removal efforts, cars are now recognised as the "number one cause of mortality" to the birds, with several already being killed due to vehicle collisions in the last few months. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Council warning as 'camouflaged' species takes over car parks, schools and hospitals
Behind a fenced-off pathway at a popular caravan park near the border of New South Wales and Queensland lies a near-perfectly camouflaged native animal. Most people hear the distinctive cry of the bush-stone curlew before they see it, thanks to its grey colouring which allows it to blend perfectly into an urban environment. But as the iconic bird's nesting period kicks off across several states, one local council has issued a warning to local residents. "They are well camouflaged," Amy Nicholls, Sustainability and Environment Project Officer from Tweed Shire Council, told Yahoo News. "It's breeding time, so now is the time to keep an eye out." Amy explained that the birds have adapted well to their urban environment, and it's common to see them make nests in car parks, schools, workplaces, hospital grounds and even caravan parks. "People say 'why are they so stupid sitting in a car park', but they are not being stupid, they are just adapting to what is now our urban environment," she said. The birds tend to prefer wide open spaces where they can spot predators from a distance. Bush stone curlews under threat by drivers and invasive species While their numbers remain strong in parts of Queensland, on the other side of the border in New South Wales, the story is completely different. The curlew is listed as an endangered species in New South Wales and Victoria and threatened in South Australia. They face several major threats, including road strikes, habitat loss and predation by invasive species like foxes and cats, as well as domestic dogs. "We have seen huge amounts of losses due to vehicle strikes and attacks by domestic pets," she explained. But Tweed's unique location close to the border makes the council's efforts all the more important as they attempt to push the birds' population further south. "We're at the top of NSW, so we have the most impact on the population of curlews back into the state," Amy said. The council has urged residents not only to keep an eye out for the birds, but also to report nests as they pop up. Crews will then monitor the birds, as well as put up fencing and signage to warn residents about their presence. Community 'really involved' in conservation efforts Remarkably, the community has become "really involved" in protecting the birds, according to Amy. "We have so many people out there who adore curlews," she said. "Once you've got a nesting pair in your space, you'll see them throughout the year and beyond." The birds nest in pairs and "share the workload equally between the male and the female". This means that one sits on the nest to keep the eggs at the right temperature, while the other forages for food. They repeat this process for the 28-day incubation process. The birds can nest up to four times during the long breeding period, which runs from the end of July and ends in January. When the chicks are young, "that is a very sensitive period", Amy explained. "They don't understand the threats of vehicles," she explained, adding that they are especially hard to spot at night. 🚊 Incredible discovery centimetres from train tracks 🚘 Warning to Aussie drivers after tiny roadside find 🐦 Rare creature spotted outside Aussie workplace Curlews make return to island after 50 years Curlews hit headlines last month as extensive conservation efforts saw the native species be reintroduced on Victoria's Philip Island for the first time in 50 years. The bush stone-curlew population suffered a drastic loss due to fox predation. However, after the island was declared fox-free in 2017 after 25 years of removal efforts, cars are now recognised as the "number one cause of mortality" to the birds, with several already being killed due to vehicle collisions in the last few months. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Warning over 'serious aquatic invader' posing a major threat in Aussie state
Aussies have been urged to do their part and be on the lookout for an invasive weed that 'poses a major threat' to the country's waterways and native ecosystems. Water lettuce — a free-floating plant that grows and spreads rapidly — is a 'serious aquatic invader', Biosecurity Queensland warned this week. While its origins are unknown, the weed can be found in various tropical countries and was introduced to Australia as an aquarium and garden pond plant. However, it has since become a significant problem in NSW and eastern Queensland, where it can be found in several areas as a result of flooding and abandonment. What is water lettuce? As its name suggests, the weed resembles a small, floating, open head of lettuce, however, despite its appearance, it's not edible. The plant features pale green fan-shaped, hairy leaves, small pale white to green flowers and egg-shaped fruit that contain seeds. Water lettuce (pistia stratiotes) prefers stationary or slow-moving streams with high nutrient concentrations. Why is water lettuce a problem? The species, which sees a spike in growth as temperatures warm up in spring, can form dense mats that cover rivers, wetlands, dams, reservoirs and irrigation canals, restricting water flow and creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes, biosecurity authorities told Yahoo News. The swathes of plants can also prevent light penetration and exchange of gasses, leading to a drop in oxygen in the water, and therefore damaging native ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Each one can generate several daughter plants, which helps its rapid spread, along with seeds and water movement. In Queensland, water lettuce is regarded as a category three restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014, and it is illegal to keep, give away or release into the environment. However, not everyone appears to be aware of that fact, prompting authorities to issue an alert online. 'Some people keep it as an ornamental and offer it for sale as a pond plant on social media,' a Department of Primary Industries spokesperson told Yahoo. 'This increases the risk of spread, particularly into other states where water lettuce is not an established invasive species.' Queensland residents who find the weed on their property are obligated to take practical steps to minimise its spread. Water lettuce is also considered to be a weed in NSW and a declared pest in WA. 🌴 Aussie council's warning over 'beautiful' garden feature smothering city suburbs 🌼 Invasive weed vanishes from tourist attraction thanks to tiny 'miracle' 🌳 Woman's 'incredible' 500-year-old discovery hidden behind invasive weed How do I remove water lettuce? The invasive weed can be removed by hand if it is found in small numbers. Herbicides are often the only practical method for larger infestations, and spraying results in a quicker death in the warmer months. For more information or advice, contact your local government. 'One of the world's worst weeds' found in Aussie city for first time Water lettuce isn't the only aquatic invader causing issues in Australia. Earlier this year, authorities in the Top End sounded the alarm after 'one of the world's worst weeds' was discovered in the region for the very first recorded time. Authorities attended a Darwin property in June after receiving a tip about a suspicious plant being offered online. There, they took samples of the plant from a contained garden pond which was later confirmed to be Amazon frogbit, an invasive weed that is also capable of choking waterways. 'The property owner was unaware they had Amazon frogbit and we are thankful a member of the public familiar with such weeds brought this to our attention,' a Department of Lands, Planning and Environment spokesperson told Yahoo News at the time. 'The owner informed us that he did not know where the frogbit had come from and stated that it had appeared in the pond around three months ago during the 2025 wet season.' While the weed is considered a pest in some local government areas in Queensland, it is not actually prohibited in the state and can even be purchased. However, south of the border it's a different story. In NSW it is illegal to buy, sell, trade or move it into the state, with on-the-spot fines as high as $2,000 for anyone caught doing so. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
