Purple Traps Deployed to Detect Emerald Ash Borer

 The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a metallic woodboring beetle from Asia, was first found in North America near Detroit, Michigan in 2002.   It has since spread to eight states and two Canadian provinces.  One of the most recent finds was made in June 2008 in the province of Quebec, southwest of Montreal. That is only 200 miles and less than a four hour drive from the Maine border. Just last week EAB was found in Virginia.

The larvae of this beetle feed on the inner bark of ash trees disrupting the flow of water and nutrients and kill the tree by girdling it.  The adults chew on the leaves a bit but do no significant damage to the trees.  Because the larvae are hidden during development, this insect is easily moved on firewood. 

The Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Agriculture and USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service have hung over 70 traps in ash trees on campgrounds, nurseries and other likely sites for EAB detection.  If you run across one of these traps, you may think somebody has gotten their kite tangled in a tree.  The large purple traps - triangular cardboard prisms coated with a sticky substance - are set high in the tree canopy. 

Source: at: Forest & Shade Tree - Insect & Disease Conditions for Maine July 18, 2008

www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/ConditionsReportsIndex.htm   and image from U.S. Forest Service, Forest Health Protection http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/ accessed July 31, 2008.

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