Contacts:
Kelly Loftus, Agency of Agriculture, (802) 828-3829
Tim Schmalz, Agency of Agriculture, (802) 241-3544

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Waterbury, Vt – Don’t be surprised if you see large purple boxes hanging from trees in Vermont this summer. These “boxes” are serving a very important purpose – to survey for the invasive pest Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), which has been attacking and killing ash trees in the Midwest since 2002. To date, Vermont has been free of EAB.

As part of a national survey in conjunction with USDA, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture has begun placing the triangular purple insect traps that are about two feet tall, in and near ash trees in campgrounds and along roadsides throughout the state. They are designed to catch the destructive EAB, if it is present.

The purple traps are baited with oil from the Manuka tree, and are coated with a sticky substance to hold insects after they land on the trap. Approximately 180 traps will be placed around the state, concentrating in state parks and campgrounds, as well as private woodlots and along roadsides. The traps will be in place from June 10 to September 1, 2008.

“The traps being placed around Vermont will not attract the insect, but will help us discover if we have an infestation in the state early on and to be able to address it immediately,” said Roger Allbee, Secretary of Agriculture. “The ash tree is a very important natural resource in our state and we want to protect it from this invasive insect.”

Although the exact quantity of white ash in Vermont forests is uncertain, it comprises between 5 and 15 percent of the hardwood forest in most areas. White ash is scattered throughout Vermont as individual trees and in isolated pockets. Green ash is generally present and usually abundant along riverbanks and lakeshores and is a dominant species in the Champlain Islands.

The adult EAB is green in color and no larger than a penny. EAB is an invasive species of wood-boring beetle, native to China and eastern Asia that targets ash trees in North America. It was first detected in July of 2002 in southeastern Michigan and has since been found in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and in southwestern Ontario. More than 177,900 square miles are currently quarantined due to the presence of the beetle. EAB has been responsible for the death and decline of more than 25 million ash trees in the United States.

“These insects, as well as many other invasive pests, can be transported unknowingly in firewood brought into the state,” commented Tim Schmalz, plant pathologist for the Agency of Agriculture. “That’s why it is so important to use local sources for firewood when you travel. A good rule is to not move firewood more than 50 miles from where you cut it, and not across state lines. For example, the introduction of EAB in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and parts of northern Michigan are believed to be the result of moving firewood from infested areas.”

The Agency of Agriculture began placing the traps around Vermont in early June 2008. The traps will remain in place until September 1, 2008 and will be checked regularly. For more information on the traps, EAB or other invasive insects visit www.vermontagriculture.com.