AUGUSTA, Me – BugWatchME is a watchdog group, sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, whose mission is to educate Mainers about the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) and how to spot and report it.

The ALB is responsible for the destruction of over 25,000 trees in a 66-square-mile area around Worcester, Massachusetts. The infestation went undetected for years. The only way to eradicate this wood-devouring insect is to cut, chip and burn infested trees. To date, $250 million has been spent in the US on the eradication of the beetle. If ALB is not stopped, it could kill 30 percent of all trees in the country.

The beetle’s trees of choice are hardwoods, particularly maple, birch, horsechestnut, poplar, willow, elm and ash. The possible impacts to Maine’s tourism, timber and sugar maple industries alone are enormous. “Because the beetle went undetected for many years in Massachusetts, we can’t say with any real certainty that it is not in Maine. If ALB has not arrived in Maine via overseas cargo, which is how it got to New York, Chicago and Worcester, then it could arrive by infested tree material like firewood,” says Karen Coluzzi, entomologist with the Maine Department of Agriculture.

It is important to note that most new infestations of ALB have been reported by the general public. Mainers need to be on the lookout:
• Inspect firewood piles for dime-sized exit holes in the bark or tunneling through the center
• Inspect living trees for holes or signs of the black and white beetle on the exterior of the tree.

Local libraries have materials to help people identify the ALB. Residents should report any suspicious findings to the Department of Agriculture online at www.albmaine.org or call 207-287-3891.

BugWatchME will be at local fairs and civic events over the next month passing out information and answering questions. A Facebook page, BugWatchME, has also been created so people can follow related news about the group’s efforts.

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.

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 Portland City Arborist, Jeff Tarling.

“Our hope is to find nothing but healthy trees,” says Coluzzi. “But, if ALB is out there, early detection is our best bet for containing the pest.”

ALB could reach Maine in wooden packing materials imported from overseas and firewood moved from infested areas. Portland was chosen as a survey site because it has an active seaport, industrial areas and is a major population center in the state. 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.

A similar event will take place in Bangor on September 3rd.

For more information visit albmaine.org.

AUGUSTA (August 12, 2009)—The Maine Department of Agriculture has received a $75,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct an outreach and survey program for Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), an invasive insect not yet found in Maine, but one already responsible for the destruction of more than 25,000 trees in Massachusetts. The program, currently underway, is focused on informing the general public about ALB and how to recognize and report it.

Since August is the month the beetles are most active, two major educational events are planned, one in Portland, on August 27, and one in Bangor, on September 3, where host trees in these communities will be surveyed for signs and symptoms of an ALB infestation. Other events are planned for smaller communities. The program’s focus is primarily on neighborhoods adjacent to industrial parks, as well as coastal campgrounds and state parks, where out-of-state visitors may be unintentionally carrying infested firewood into the state.

“Most infestations are spotted by homeowners in live trees or woodpiles. Early detection is our best defense to keep this pest at bay,” says entomologist and State Survey Coordinator, Karen Coluzzi.

“What is most extraordinary,” adds State Horticulturist Ann Gibbs, “is the number of state and government agencies that are part of this awareness campaign.” Eight other states have also received USDA funding to implement similar programs.

For additional information about the events, or with questions about ALB, please contact Karen Coluzzi at 207-287-7551.

For media inquiries, contact Trish Altieri at Briggs Advertising, 207-443-2067.

More information on ALB can be found at www.mainealb.org.