Frogs, lizards, snakes, spiders and other insect pests are carried around the world on cut flowers and potted plants, with the potential to harm nature, scientists say.
These “hitchhiking intruders” include a frog that emerged from roses at a flower shop in Sheffield and snakes discovered in ornamental olive trees shipped across Europe.
The shipments could also contain invasive pests that can cause serious damage to crops and the landscape, say researchers from the University of Cambridge.
As the global market for plants, bulbs and cut flowers expands rapidly, they say improved standards are urgently needed.
“Adult snakes and lizards are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Professor William Sutherland of the University of Cambridge. “If they’re getting through, what’s the chance we’re going to spot the little insects and fungi – the things that really cause the problems?”
The production of ornamental plants is growing rapidly and expanding geographically, especially in East Africa and South America.
While the regulations and border checks are in place, the sheer amount of cut flowers and ornamental plants being traded in a hurry makes it extremely difficult to intercept all the pests and diseases they carry, said Dr. Silviu Petrovan from the University of Cambridge.
“Even with the best of intentions, unwanted hitchhikers go through customs controls all the time,” he said.
A reptile expert was once called in to identify a live frog in a flower shop in Sheffield.
He thought it was a joke, but was amazed to discover that it was a frog that had arrived with roses from Colombia via Ecuador.
Frogs, lizards and insect pests are the main stowaways detected in the UK.
Across mainland Europe, numerous exotic reptiles and amphibians have been accidentally discovered, especially in olive trees in pots:
- Lizards, such as geckos, and several species of continental European snakes
- A large number of insect pests.
In the research, published in the journal Biosciencethe team analyzed records of pests found in ornamental plants at customs in the Netherlands during 2017-2018. and reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK during 2021-2023.
They call for the improvement of production standards and the collection and exchange of data on certain risks from trade.
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