 | Emerald Ash Borer poses threat to Maine's ash resource Augusta, Maine, December 5, 2006 .....Maine Forest Service is very
concerned about the serious threat that Emerald Ash Borer could pose to
Maine's ash resource - both forest and shade trees. "There are no known
barriers to its natural spread into Maine" says David Struble, Maine's
State Entomologist and head of the Forest Health and Monitoring Division
of Maine Forest Service. "While it may take some years to cross the
intervening distance naturally, artificial spread on firewood or nursery
stock has already been shown to greatly accelerate the rate of spread."
A recent news release announced US Department of Agriculture's decision
to expand a federal quarantine to slow the spread of emerald ash borer.
According to Struble, the expansion underlines the difficulty of
detecting this pest at early stages with any reliability, as well as the
difficulty of effectively dealing with the movement of domestic
firewood. "The move to quarantine entire states does elevate the
visibility of the situation and may improve public awareness of the
threat posed by casual movement of firewood, such as camp wood" says
Struble. "Conversely, putting whole states inside the quarantined zone
enlarges the area where free movement of firewood is allowable." Such
movement is likely to accelerate the spread across states to the border
of the neighboring, as-yet un-infested states. This in turn increases
the threat to more removed states like Maine.
More: David Struble, Maine Forest Service, 207-287-2791. Emerald Ash Borer Update September 3 , 2008 The emerald ash borer has now been found in ten states and in areas of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Background:
Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, and Wisconsin and Missouri in summer 2008. Since its discovery, EAB has: Killed more than 40 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin and Virginia. Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Missouri) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs. Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars.
What is Maine doing? The Maine Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Industry, the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Maine Forest Service (MFS) Division of Forest Health and Monitoring have joined efforts to survey high risk areas in Maine for EAB. The current surveillance tool for EAB, purple prism traps baited with manuca oil, is being used at popular campgrounds and nurseries. [Press Release] The MFS is also doing work with a native wasp, Cerceris fumipennis, that collects buprestid beetles, including EAB when present. Please see the MFS website to learn more about the Cerceris wasp and about the risks of moving firewood. You can help Please contact us if you suspect EAB; (207) 287-3891 Some points to remember: EAB adults are small - about 1/2 inch long EAB adults are metallic green EAB only attack ash trees
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