They masquerade as non-aliens, just like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956, 1978). Brown marmorated stink bugs look a lot like native, non-invasive common brown stink bugs. And rough stink bugs. And conifer seed bugs. And a whole bunch of other bugs. Good news for us, you can ID them by the white bands on their antennae and legs.
They take resources necessary for species' survival, just like in Independence Day (1996) and Oblivion (2013). Asian carp rate a strong 10 on the Destruct-o-Meter. They eat food that other fish depend on. They eat the habitat where other fish live. They eat the fish themselves. They would probably eat your Swiss Chalet takeout and your credit cards and the marrow from your bones if they could. Good news for us, they still haven't established a population in the Great Lakes.
They're damn sexy. And they use it against us! Just like in Species (1995) and The Faculty (1998). Mute swans, possibly the best looking of all swans, were brought to North America from Europe to beautify the fancy estates of rich people. The now-feral, aggressive swans will attack and even kill any living thing that comes near them. Good news for us, They're mostly only vicious during breeding and brood-rearing.
They stow away aboard vessels, just like in Alien (1979). Zebra and quagga mussels' MO is to attach themselves to your boat and almost anything in it: ropes, fishing gear, hip waders, scuba equipment, bait buckets, fenders, waterskis, lifejackets, and running shoes. If you think your Air Jordans are safe, you're a fool. Good news for us, boaters who inspect and clean watercraft and equipment before moving it to a different lake help keep the mussels from spreading.
They drip, spew, or bleed something nasty, just like in Predator (1987) and Cloverfield (2008) and Pacific Rim (2013) and, well, almost every alien movie ever. So much slime. Giant hogweed is like a huge version of Queen Anne's lace. If Queen Anne was from hell. The sap can cause third-degree burns and blindness. Good news for us, it can't vomit on you. Still, don't touch it without gloves and eye protection.
Aliens. Can’t live with them; can’t keep them from blowing up the White House or bursting out of your chest. Meanwhile, in cottage country, real aliens — invasive alien species such as Asian carp and giant hogweed — are also destructive and gross. And they employ a lot of the same strategies as movie aliens. Here are a few of the invasive species you should look out for.
