The emerald ash borer, which is responsible for the death of millions of ash trees around the country has now been discovered in Barre, Groton, and Plainfield. It was first detected in Orange. The news has many public and industry officials around the state preparing for what's to come.
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Foods & Markets report that emerald ash borer (EAB), a destructive forest insect from Asia, has been detected in Vermont. Officials with the USDA Animal & Plant Health and Inspection Service have confirmed the identification of a beetle recently found in northern Orange County, Vermont. The insect was reported through the vtinvasives.org website.
In a state where agriculture and forestry are important industries, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is not a welcomed guest. First discovered in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014, the colorful invasive from China poses a threat to timber, viticulture, fruit and nursery businesses. By the end of 2017, nearly 3,000 square miles of the state have been affected.
In Pennsylvania, where emerald ash borer has been present since 2007, municipalities have found successful ash-management plans under guidance of the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and they offer a model for other regions to follow. A new guide outlines a set of four options for communities to choose from as they plan for the impact of the emerald ash borer.
Scientists are debating whether and why it appears that the number of species at sites worldwide is holding steady (even increasing at many), as biodiversity declines globally.
It may be hard to believe, but the emerald ash borer or "EAB" has not been found in Vermont yet. It surrounds us on all of our borders and has taken up residence in 31 states and three Canadian provinces. In case you are feeling out of the loop, here are some great resources to help you stay up to date and prepare for the arrival of EAB.
The winter of 2016- 2017 was a good one for hemlock woolly adelgids (HWA) in Vermont, which is probably bad news for hemlock trees. The adelgid is an invasive forest insect that attacks hemlock trees and was first discovered in Vermont in 2007. Last winter’s HWA mortality rate was only 65%, compared to 99 – 97% for the previous three years. Forest health staff with the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation are seeking volunteers to help survey for HWA.
Most of us have become accustomed to seeing Halloween lady beetles, boxelder bugs and western conifer seed bugs on and in our homes in the fall. Here’s a new critter to add to that nuisance list: the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys.
A confluence of several events has renewed concerns for the well-being of hemlock trees in Vermont. Read more about why Vermonters should be especially concerned and what you can do to help.
Despite the discouraging discovery of an invasive species near Lake George, the Adirondacks have also seen some recent bright spots in the fight against invasive species.
Walk through a hardwood forest this month and it may seem more like October than July. Trees that normally provide cool shade have bare crowns with just a hint of green. And is the bark on that sugar maple moving? This is not a trick of the light: you are, in fact, in the middle of a forest tent caterpillar outbreak.
Residents and people traveling through Bethel, VT have been witness to a spectacular display of insect webbing. Entire trees, chain link fences and large patches of ground cover plants are covered with silken webbing – as if someone went overboard with decorations for Halloween. The scene has prompted calls to the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
Well no, not really. However, quite a few people, including Major League Baseball are concerned that they could ruin a part of baseball tradition. The enemy this time is the emerald ash borer. The metallic green beetle should not be anywhere in the United States but it hitched rides over to our country using our modern methods of transportation. More specifically, this beetle came by way of cargo ships across the ocean.
An emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) larvae is revealed successfully developing in the wood of a cultivated olive tree—adding a second species to the list of non-ash trees that the invasive insect can attack.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program has a vacancy for its 2017 summer survey program. The program is seeking one qualified individual to assist with the field survey for plant pests that are destructive to Vermont’s forests and natural resources.
