The Search for the Asian Longhorned Beetle Goes On

Article Posted on | August 28, 2009 | No Comments

Dedicated spotters continue a careful watch over Maine’s vulnerable trees.

BANGOR, ME – (August 24, 2009) On Thursday, September 3rd, from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Maine Forest Service, the US Department of Agriculture and the City of Bangor will be conducting a survey of trees in Hayford Park, the city’s largest park on the west side. The group will be looking for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), the invasive insect that has been devastating trees in four states already, three in the East and one in the Midwest.
The Department is assembling teams of willing volunteers trained to look for signs of infested trees. Leading these crews will be entomologist and State Survey Coordinator, Karen Coluzzi and Bangor City Arborist, Brian Dugas. The staging area will be at Hayford Park at the intersection of Union Street and 13th Street. Volunteers will meet a little before 9 a.m. A boxed picnic lunch will be provided for participants. Anyone interested in participating should contact Karen Coluzzi at (207) 287-7551.
“We hope our search will produce negative results.” says Coluzzi. “In Bangor, we suspect an infestation could potentially come from goods originally shipped from Asia or firewood from the Massachusetts infestation.
ALB could reach Maine in wooden packing materials imported from overseas and firewood moved from infested areas. Bangor was chosen as a survey site because of its proximity to an airport and industrial sites. Signs of ALB’s presence are dime-sized holes in the tree’s bark. The adult beetles are particularly active at this time of year and may be visible on the exterior of the trees as well.
For more information, visit albmaine.org.