Caddo Biocontrol Alliance

10/15/2026

Hydrilla can help a deadly poison enter a lake’s food chain.

Tiny bacteria grow on its leaves. Hydrilla also collects bromide from its surroundings. The bacteria use that bromide as an ingredient to make a poison that harms brains and nerves.

Fish can be hurt, too. Grass carp that ate contaminated plants developed damage in their brains and spinal cords. In lab tests, young zebrafish exposed to the poison twitched, lost their balance, and could die.

Birds eat contaminated plants, and eagles can become sick or die after eating those birds. Hydrilla alone isn’t poisonous—it helps the harmful bacteria grow and make their poison.

Study: Breinlinger et al., Science, 2021.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8318203/

10/15/2026

10/11/2026

Watch a dragonfly patrol your yard at dusk and you'd guess it snaps mosquitoes up with its mouth. It doesn't. It slips beneath its target, rises from below in about half a second, and catches the insect in a basket made of its six bristly legs. Then it usually eats right there in flight, no landing needed. The strike isn't a lucky lunge, either. Researchers found the dragonfly steers by predicting where its prey is headed, then corrects with its eyes if the insect swerves. One honest note on the numbers: you'll see claims that a single dragonfly eats hundreds of mosquitoes a day. The National Park Service says about a dozen fill a large dragonfly's stomach, and it eats gnats and other small insects too. Next time one zips over your patio, watch the legs, not the mouth. 🦟 [6RQVQ]

10/07/2026

Native to Louisiana and much of the United States, swamp sunflower is a flowering perennial that you may see blooming right now.

These plants can reach 6 to 8 feet tall and like full sun and wet soil. You can read more about them here: https://tinyurl.com/2h4cytwe

10/07/2026

As night falls, all of East Texas lets out a collective sigh of relief and gratitude for the raindrops that finally settled the dust and brought life back to the landscape. Hoping the rain found its way to your neck of the woods today.

Lake O' the Pines is at 227.53, while Caddo is at 167.48.

10/04/2026

Saddleback caterpillars are out and about this time of year. They have a very painful sting and are the most common stinging caterpillar in North America.

You can take antihistamines and use a cold compress if stung. Remove any hairs and spines using adhesive tape. Wash the stung area with soap and water or a sterilizing agent and allow to air dry. Anaphylactic reactions are rare. If you suspect an allergic reaction, or if stung regions are significantly swollen, see a doctor for medical attention. You can read more about them here: https://tinyurl.com/bp5n52f7