Not long ago, I wrote a post on “Stink Bug Eradication Techniques” which to my surprise has been my most popular entry in The House Rules. To summarize, Stink Bugs took over the Eastern Seaboard about 10 years ago as an invasive species from China with no local predators. In my blog, I encouraged readers to do the most natural thing imaginable and find a way to reduce the stink bug population, not through pesticides or a rolled up newspaper, but by making them into dinner. Pate, Tacos, whatever.
Recently, I stumbled across this article in Slate which regarded the invasive Red Lionfish in the Florida Keys as a similar, but delectable menace. It’s almost too beautiful to eat despite the great recipes in Lionfish Cookbook: The Caribbean’s New Delicacy.
The Red Lionfish
But that was just the tip of the melting iceberg. Wit a little interwebbing, I discovered that unbeknownst to me, my idea was trending, and now there’s a term for this big ol' group of crazypants: Invasivores.
In the wake of my post, other bloggers must have caught the same idea, including The Compact , Dot Earth and Take Part. Okay, I have no way of knowing that they got the idea from me, but what is the internet for if not unmerited hubris?
So what’s an invasivore here in Philly supposed to tackle? Well Canadian Geese and Starlings are among the top 10 most costly invasive species in the US. Garlic Mustard and Zebra Mussels are rapidly overrunning Pennsylvania’s waterways and forest undergrowth.
But when I think of Philadelphia, the most irritating, loathsome, and possibly yummy options that spring to mind include:
The Northern Snakehead
The Rock Pigeon
and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention
The Feral Cat
I need to pull out my copy of the Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine. I know he had a chapter on Squab (Baby Pigeons) but I can’t recall if there was anything on Feline Pot Pie.
