Tolland County is a popular feeding ground for a little green beetle that can cause a big problem. According to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect, that has killed tens of millions of the country’s ash trees, has been found in 3 other Connecticut counties and fifteen towns.
The beetle is metallic green in color, and approximately 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. Adult beetles emerge from the bark of infested trees leaving a small D-shaped exit hole roughly 1/8 inch in diameter. Once infested, ash trees quickly decline and die with three to five years. Treatments exist for individual trees but there are no area-wide controls currently available.
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State officials say the insect has also spread from 20 states and is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees from the Midwest to New York State and south to Tennessee.
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To slow down the spread of this destructive insect, the state had established a quarantine to regulate the movement of ash logs, materials and firewood. The state’s environmental leaders would like to expand the current New Haven County quarantine to Fairfield, Litchfield and Hartford Counties. Could Tolland be next?
Ash makes up about 4% to 15% of Connecticut’s forests and is a common urban tree. The emerald ash borer was discovered in several purple prism traps set around the state. There are 307 such traps set by environmental officials.
Meantime, environmental officials offer the following guidance:
- Do not move firewood
- Woodland owners should not act hastily consult Agricultural Experiment Station at 203-974-8474 or email CAES.StateEntomologist@ct.gov
- Only trust a state-certified forester who can assess woodlands and formulate a plan of action
- Call before you cut – consult the Division of Forestry Forester
- Help authorities track the beetle - If you see any insects matching this description, contact CAES at 203-974-8440
