Emerald Ash Borer Beetle Detected in Boston

The Emerald Ash Borer, which feeds on ash trees, was detected in a trap at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain earlier this month, officials with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and Department of Agricultural Resources said Wednesday.

The beetle is small and metallic green, is native to Asia, and is known to kill ash trees quickly, anywhere from three to five years, as it bores directly under the bark and “disrupts the tree’s conductive system,” officials said.

“The presence of Emerald Ash Borer in our state represents a serious threat to our ash trees,’ DCR Commissioner Jack Murray said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “We are taking swift action to address the infestation, educate the public and work to mitigate any impact an infestation could bring.”

DCR, DAR and other state and federal officials are working to take “swift proactive steps” to slow the spread of the beetle, including:

- Defining a quarantine area that would only allow the movement of certain wood products under certain conditions

- Conducting a delimiting survey to help identify the extent of the infestation

- Working with stakeholders to ensure they know how to properly treat or dispose of infested trees and materials

- Maintaining a ban that has been in place against bringing any firewood into state parks and forests.

“It is important for the public to remain vigilant and to report any ash trees with signs of Emerald Ash Borer damage,” DAR Commissioner Greg Watson said in a statement. “Early detection of new infestations will help slow the spread of this pest.”

More than 20 states across the country have confirmed detection of the beetle, according to the officials, and the state DCR has received $125,000 in funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and $60,000 in funding from the U.S. Forest Service, while also spending $185,000 to combat infestations of the beetle.

DCR and APHIS plan to schedule listening sessions in Suffolk County in early September to provide the community with information on finding and address questions.

To report suspicious tree damage or insect sightings, or to learn more about the beetle, visit www.massnrc.org/pests or emeraldashborer.info, or call the toll-free EAB hotline at 1-866-322-4512.

Photo Credit: emeraldashborer.info