Officials: Tree-Killing Beetle Detected In 3 NJ Counties
WEST WINDSOR, N.J., (CBS) -- This beetle, the emerald ash borer, is the size of a penny. It's small, but it's a killer of ash trees.
"Easily, tens of millions of trees. Upwards to 250 million," said New Jersey Department of Agriculture Entomologist Paul Kurtz.
New Jersey Department of Agriculture officials reported Monday that the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle they say attacks and kills ash trees, is active in five towns in three counties.
According to officials, municipal officials and residents of Bridgewater and Hillsborough in Somerset County, Westampton in Burlington County and Ewing and West Windsor in Mercer County are encouraged to visit the New Jersey Emerald Ash Borer website where they can find resources on how to protect their ash trees or what to do with dead or dying trees.
The invasive species, originally from Asia, has done most of its damage so far in the Midwest, but its making its way into New Jersey and has been in Pennsylvania for a few years. They bore their way into ash trees and lay eggs. The larvae then eat the tree from the inside out, leaving distinct grooves behind.
"As the insect's feeding, its cutting off all the transport of nutrients and water going up," said Kurtz.
The last emerald ash borer sighting came about two weeks ago in West Windsor, Mercer County. But for every tree that's discovered, likely others have already been infected. This beetle can fly up to 10 miles at one time, meaning infecting the rest of the state doesn't take much.
To date, the impact here has been small, but experts say the bug's spread can't be stopped, only managed. So they've set up traps like one in Chesterfield, Burlington County, to keep track of the insect's movements.
"We're looking for that leading edge so we know and we can help municipalities plan," said Kurtz.
There's two reasons why you should care. First, forests in our area stay healthy when lots of tree species thrive. Destroy the ash trees and forests may not be far behind. The second is just about cost. Many lawns in this state are dotted with ash trees. Infected trees die and must be removed and that cost falls on homeowners.
If you own ash trees, look for yellowing leaves and small D-shaped holes in the bark. And if you see either of the two, give the Department of Agriculture a call at 609-406-6939.
For more information, visit: http://www.emeraldashborer.nj.gov/
