Virginia is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, most of which originated here and developed over thousands of years to adapt to the natural environment. These native species live in balance with one another, giving and taking to the benefit of the greater ecosystem. But other species were brought here from far away, and can swiftly tilt that balance. These invasive species might be plants (like English ivy) or animals (like the European starling), but what they have in common is the potential to wreak havoc—not just on the local habitat, but also on the economy and even human health.