ALB eNewsletter | June 30, 2016

 

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Recent news on the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Find out what's happening in your state.
 

June 30, 2016

This eNewsletter is designed to keep you up-to-date with Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) eradication efforts and serve as a meaningful resource for the most current information. Presently, there are active eradication programs operating in three states:  New York, Massachusetts and Ohio.  The following information pertains to eradication activities in each of these states.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

June 15 – USDA and Ohio Department of Agriculture announce an insecticide treatment study and new tree removal contractors for the ALB eradication program taking place in Clermont County, Ohio...[learn more]

 

OHIO – First detection in June 2011

Regulated Area: 61 sq. miles

61 – Clermont County (Tate Township, Monroe Township, Stonelick/Batavia Township)

Infested Trees: 18,072

18,022 – Tate Township

47 – Monroe Township

3 – Stonelick/Batavia Township

Removals: 84,250

17,018 Infested:

   16,848 – Tate Township

   47 – Monroe Township

   3 – Stonelick/Batavia Township

   0 – East Fork Recreation Area

67,232 High-risk hosts

   57,739 – Tate Township

   1,138 – Monroe Township

   0 – Stonelick/Batavia Township

   8,021 – East Fork Recreation Area

Surveys: 1,858,469

Ground and aerial survey crews continue to conduct delimiting surveys, inspecting all host trees throughout the regulated areas in Clermont County. Staff continues to monitor regulated areas, respond to service calls and conduct training sessions for compliance agreements.  To report suspicious activity, please call 513-381-7180.  Infested trees are removed throughout the year, as they are detected.  The wood disposal yard located at 2896 State Route 232 in Bethel is open for business: Mon. through Fri. from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.  Wood chips are available for residents from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the first Sat. of every month.  Click Ohio for more information.

 

MASSACHUSETTS – First detection in August 2008

Regulated Area: 110 sq. miles*

110 – Worcester County (Worcester, West Boylston, Boylston, Holden, Shrewsbury, Auburn)

Infested Trees:  24,098**

20,751– Worcester

1,096 – Shrewsbury

233 – Holden

694 – West Boylston

1,318 – Boylston

0 – Auburn

6 – Boston

Removals: 35,668**

24,068 Infested:

   20,752 – Worcester

   1,095 – Shrewsbury

   233 – Holden

   694 – West Boylston

   1,288 – Boylston

   0 – Auburn

   6 – Boston

11,600 High-risk hosts:

   11,456 – Worcester

   103 – Shrewsbury

   1 – Holden

   38 – West Boylston

   2 – Boylston

   0 – Auburn

   0 – Boston

Surveys: Inspections continue

* Boston (Suffolk County) declared eradication in 2014, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 10 sq. miles.

** In February 2016, an audit was performed on the infested tree totals and the tree counts shown represent the correct totals. Due to additional host trees removed through acreage cuts within the regulated area, the actual number of infested trees and the actual number of trees removed is unknown.

Ground and aerial survey crews continue to conduct delimiting surveys, inspecting all host trees throughout the regulated areas in Worcester County. Staff continues to monitor regulated area, respond to service calls and conduct training sessions for compliance agreements.  To report suspicious activity, please call 508-852-8110.  The program continues to remove and destroy infested trees.  Infested trees are removed throughout the year, as they are detected.  The wood disposal yard located at Ararat Street in Worcester is open for normal business hours:  Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  Click Massachusetts for more information.

 

NEW YORK – First detection in August 1996

Regulated Area: 137 sq. miles*

28 – Kings County (Brooklyn)

58 – Queens County (Queens)

51 – Nassau/Suffolk County (Amityville)

Infested Trees: 7,062

2,327 – Brooklyn

1,831 – Queens

110 – Manhattan

2,716 – Amityville

27 – Islip

51 – Staten Island, includes Pralls Island

Removals: 23,720

7,062 Infested:

   2,327 – Brooklyn

   1,831 – Queens

   110 – Manhattan

   2,716 – Amityville

   27 – Islip

   51 – Staten Island, includes Pralls Island

16,658 High-risk hosts:

   139 – Brooklyn

   911 – Queens

   20 – Manhattan

   5,160 – Amityville

   154 – Islip

   10,274 – Staten Island, includes Pralls Island

Surveys: Inspections continue

* New infestation detected in the Amityville area in 2013 resulted in an increase of the regulated area by 28 sq. miles. Manhattan (New York County) and Staten Island (Richmond County) declared eradication in 2013, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 26 sq. miles. Islip (Suffolk County) declared eradication in 2011, resulting in a reduction of the regulated area by 7 sq. miles.

Ground and aerial survey crews continue to conduct surveys, inspecting all host trees throughout the regulated areas in Kings, Queens, and Nassau/Suffolk counties. Staff continues to monitor regulated areas, respond to service calls and conduct training sessions for compliance agreements.  Click New York for more information.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

The program has no public meetings planned at this time.

 

REMINDERS:

The mission of the eradication program is to help save trees and to eliminate the beetle from each affected state. Residents in Asian longhorned beetle regulated areas cannot move firewood or wood debris outside of the regulated area.  Residents are also discouraged from moving firewood and wood debris inside the regulated area.  In the event of inclement weather, surveys and infested tree removals may be delayed or cancelled.

 

If you think you’ve found an Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) or signs of infestation, always record the area where the specimen was found. If possible, capture the insect you think is an Asian longhorned beetle, place it in a jar and freeze it — this will preserve the insect for easy identification.  Take digital pictures of the insect and damage to your trees in case officials request them, and Report It.

 

More Information:

There are other ways to stay informed about Asian longhorned beetle eradication efforts:

ON THE WEB: www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com or APHIS Asian longhorned beetle

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/asianlonghornbeetle

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/BeetleBusters

TWITTER: @StopALB

 

For local information about eradication activities or if you think you’ve found an insect or signs of infestation, please call 1-866-702-9938 or contact your state’s ALB eradication program office directly:

Ohio: (513) 381-7180

Massachusetts: (508) 852-8090

New York: (631) 598-5943 or (877) STOP-ALB

 

 

Asian longhorned beetle eradication programs are cooperative programs. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and partnering organizations in each affected state. In Ohio, the cooperative eradication program is composed of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State University Extension and Clermont County. In Massachusetts, the cooperative eradication program is composed of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, the city of Worcester, and the towns of Holden, West Boylston, Boylston, Shrewsbury and Auburn. In New York, the cooperative eradication program is composed of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.