2026 Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt
The Pennsylvania iMapInvasives Program is pleased to be hosting its 7th annual Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt this spring, and you’re invited to participate!
During the month of May, get outside and challenge yourself to search for, identify, and report findings of five pre-selected invasive species as part of this special statewide event — see list below.
Species List:
- Golden Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus citrinopileatus)
- Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
- Ragged Robin (Silene flos-cuculi)
- Five-leaf Aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus)
- Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa)
All participants who report at least one presence or absence record to iMapInvasives for each of the five species (based on individual participant surveys) will be entered into a drawing to win a prize package of outdoor gear and an invasive species field guide. Three lucky people will be randomly chosen as the winners of this year’s event!
*iMapInvasives is a publicly-available online resource used by land managers and community scientists statewide to better understand invasive species distributions in Pennsylvania and prioritize survey and management efforts.
If you’d like to participate in the 2026 Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt, be sure to register for the April 30 webinar session. Can’t attend live? Register, and after the webinar concludes, you will receive a link to watch the recording at your convenience. If you have a question about this year’s Scavenger Hunt event, contact Amy Jewitt ([email protected]) or Corinne Garda ([email protected]) at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.