By Stephen Beech

One of the world's most destructive plants is being tracked using vacation snaps posted on Instagram.

The photos reveal how the “highly harmful” invasive species is taking over new environments by extending its flowering season and threatening native biodiversity, say scientists.

An Irish-led international research team analysed more than 1,700 photographs from social media and citizen science platforms to track Carpobrotus species - commonly known as ice plants or sour fig – across South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and the United States.

The fleshy evergeen succulent plants are native to South Africa, but now smother coastal ecosystems from California to the Mediterranean and transform ecosystems.

A single Carpobrotus plant can cover up to 50 sq

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