European Frog-bit Survey Project
Friends of the Rouge is working with Oakland County on a state grant-funded project to survey wetlands and lakes for a plant that was recently found in the Novi area and could have spread in Novi and nearby in communities like Farmington, Farmington Hills, Northville, and Walled Lake. If you received a postcard asking for permission to survey your property, please fill out the form below. As you will learn by reading this page and attending our meeting, being vigilant and checking for this plant before it gets established is critical in keeping your waterbody from getting smothered by it.
Permission Form for Postcard Recipients
What is European frog-bit?
European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) is a free-floating aquatic invasive species that looks like a miniature water lily. Its leaves are smaller than native water lily leaves, reaching only the size of a quarter. When blooming, frog-bit has white three-petaled flowers with yellow centers.
Frog-bit can quickly form dense mats in shallow, slow-moving waters. These mats can prevent native plant growth, make movement difficult for waterfowl and large fish and make recreation difficult for boaters, anglers and swimmers. Die offs of these thick mats can also lead to low oxygen conditions in the water, affecting fish, turtles and frogs.
- More species information about Frog-bit:
Where is European frog-bit found?
European frog-bit was first found in 1996 in Michigan and has since spread to Lake Erie, Lake Huron and all the to the eastern Upper Peninsula. Locally, frog-bit has been found in 16 small retention ponds and wetland complexes in Novi and Northville. Oakland County CISMA is leading a grant with watershed council partners (Friends of the Rouge, Huron River Watershed Council and Clinton River Watershed Council) to expand surveys for European frog-bit throughout southwestern Oakland County. The European frog-bit survey project is funded by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (www.michigan.gov/invasives).
What you can do to help
- Join us for our public virtual Frog-bit meeting on July 14 at 7pm to learn more about frog-bit and the survey project in Southwest Oakland County.
- If you receive a postcard in the mail, please give us permission to survey your pond or property for frog-bit by calling or emailing Jackie Heikkila – jheikkila@therouge.org 734-927-4906.
- Clean, Drain and Dry your boats, trailers, vehicles and equipment before moving from one water body to another to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Learn More about Stopping Aquatic Hitchhikers
- Learn to ID frog-bit: MISIN Training Module
- Report suspected sightings:
- Oakland County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA): oaklandinvasivespecies.org/report
- Midwest Invasive Species Information Network: MISIN.MSU.edu or use the MISIN smartphone app
- EGLE’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program: EGLE-WRD-ANC@michigan.gov; 517-284-5593
- FOTR: jheikkila@therouge.org; 734-927-4906
- HRWC: klaramie@hrwc.org; 734-769-5123 X 606
