Identification guides
Click on the species name to view and download a digital copy of the identification guide.
These ID sheets are freely available to download, print, distribute or link to. Please give courtesy to the producer of the ID sheets when further used.
Plants – terrestrial/ riparian
- American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)_Data Centre
- Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica)_IFI
- Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)_Data Centre
- Giant knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis)_IFI
- Giant rhubarbs (Gunnera species)_Data Centre
- Giant rhubarbs (Gunnera species)_GB NNSS
- Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)_Data Centre
- Himalayan knotweed (Persicaria wallichii)_Data Centre
- Hottentot fig (Carpobrotus edulis)_Data Centre
- Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)_ Data Centre
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)_GB NNSS
Plants – aquatic
- Creeping water primrose (Ludwigia peploides)_GB NNSS
- Curly waterweed (Lagarosiphon major)_Data Centre
- Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)_Data Centre
- Japanese kelp (Undaria pinnatifida)_Data Centre
- New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii)_Data Centre
- Nuttall’s waterweed (Elodea nuttallii)_Data Centre
- Nuttall’s waterweed (Elodea nuttallii)_IFI
- Parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)_GB NNSS
- Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)_GB NNSS
- Wire weed (Sargassum muticum)_Data Centre
Animals
- American mink (Mustela vison)_Data Centre
- Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea)_Data Centre
- Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)_Data Centre
- Bank vole (Myodes glareolus)_Data Centre
- Brown hare (Lepus europaeus)_Data Centre
- Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) Data Centre
- Feral ferret (Mustela furo)_Data Centre
- Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Data Centre
- Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)_Data Centre
- Killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus)_Data Centre
- Leathery sea squirt (Styela clava) GB NNSS
- Muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi)_Data Centre
- New Zealand flatworm (Arthurdendyus triangulatus)_Data Centre
- Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea)_Data Centre_NIEA
- Sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum)_GB NNSS
- Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus)_Data Centre
- Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)_Data Centre
- Slider species (Trachemys scripta)_Data Centre
- Slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata)_Data Centre
- Wild boar hybrids/Feral pig (Sus scrofa)_Data Centre
- Zander (Sander lucioperca)_Data Centre
- Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)_Data Centre
For up-to-date distribution maps of these species in Ireland go to maps.biodiversityireland.ie
The identification guides available are produced by a variety of sources including the National Biodiversity Data Centre, the GB Non-native Species Secretariat (GB NNSS) and, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). Some other identification materials are also available with courtesy from other organizations/individuals.
Access Q-bank photographic interactive online key to:
- invasive terrestrial plants
- invasive aquatic plants
For more information on Q-bank and to access other interactive keys visit http://www.q-bank.eu/
The National Biodiversity Data Centre ID sheets were written by Oisin Duffy. Each ID sheet was reviewed by an external expert and we gratefully acknowledge their invaluable contribution. The external experts were:
Roy Anderson, Joe Caffrey, Ruth Carden, John Davenport, Jaimie Dick, Stephan Gollasch, Mike Guiry, Judith Kochmann, Colin Lawton, Julian Reynolds, Tomás Murray, Julia Nunn, Neil Reid and Noeleen Smyth.
Any feedback on the ID sheets produced by the Data Centre can be e-mailed to [email protected]