WASHINGTON - Clermont County, Ohio, is receiving an additional $14.8 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop the spread and eradicate the pesky Asian longhorned beetle (ALB)
The additional funding will be used to increase tree inspection surveys in order to determine the extent of the infestation and ensure the timely removal of infested trees.
Scientists suspect the ALB arrived in the United States ini cargo containers transported from China. Since first being spotted in Brooklyn, NY, in 1996, the 1-inch-long beetle with a shiny metallic black body and long antenae, has spread throughout the Northeastern United States and in large numbers as far west as Chicago. Quarantines have been implemented in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Ohio.
Both forest and urban hardwood trees are damaged when female Asian longhorned beetles lay up to 90 egg on the bark of a healthy tree. After hatching, the worm-like larvae burrow into the tree and feed on the woody tissue, eventually weakening the tree.
The USDA has developed a Video, Stop the Asian Longhorned Beetle, and a website, beetlebusters.info, to enlist the public's help to thwart the spread of the ALB.
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Rich Christianson is Associate Publisher and Editor at Large of Woodworking Network. During his 25+ years covering the wood products industry, Rich has toured hundreds of manufacturing plants throughout North America, Europe and Asia. His reporting has covered everything from the state of the industry and impact of wood imports to technology and environmental issues. In his current capacity he is responsible for editing the daily Woodworking Network Update newsletter and coordinating events including the annual Cabinets & Closets Conference & Expo and Canada’s biennial Woodworking Machinery & Supply Expo.
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