Universal Hub - Asian Longhorned Beetles

If Dr. Seuss were alive and writing about Asian Longhorned Beetles

adamg — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:45:49 +0000

It might look something like this.

Feds pour millions into Massachusetts to stem dreaded tree-killing beetle invaders

adamg — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:17:13 +0000

$41.5 million in emergency funding to fight Asian Longhorned Beetles.

The money will go to increased tree surveys to find potentially infected trees and to tear them down and grind them up in an attempt to stop the bug from spreading beyond the Worcester area.

Beetlemania in the Public Garden

adamg — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:32:58 +0000

State agricultural-resources worker scans Public Garden tree for beetle signs as a Channel 4 cameraman records the action.

Experts from the state Department of Agricultural Resources gave volunteers a lesson in spotting signs of Asian Longhorned Beetle infestation this afternoon - then led the first ever survey of trees in the Public Garden for signs of the tree-killing pests.

Bracing for Asian Longhorned Beetles in Boston

adamg — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:36:18 +0000

The state Department of Agricultural Resources is going to be training volunteers in the Public Garden on Thursday to help look for signs of the dreaded tree-killing beetle in the Boston area. So far as state officials know, the bugs are still just in greater Worcester, but they want to start looking just in case.

Jennifer Forman Orth, who's leading the training (12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.), reports volunteers will get a free "Ask Me About ALB" t-shirt.

Asian Longhorned Beetles are everywhere - even Twitter!

adamg — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:37:34 +0000

Does this mean we have to quarantine Twitter until we can cut it down and grind it into a fine powder?

The Street with No Trees

adamg — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:54:33 +0000

Take a look at a couple of dramatic before and after photos of one Worcester street that's had all its trees cut down and ground into a fine powder in the war against the Asian Longhorned Beetles.

Via Daily Worcesteria.

Asian Longhorned Imposters!

adamg — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:26:45 +0000

Yeah, you think you know your Asian Longhorned Beetles? Jennifer Forman Orth dares you to pick out the real Asian Longhorned Beetle from a series of photos of longhorned beetles. Because it turns out:

Massachusetts is home to many insects that could be confused with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle, including several native longhorned beetle species.

Loser gets a bug slug.

Wormtown beetle battle is on

adamg — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Worcester Beetle Battle Reaches Destructive Phase.

I've probably been following the whole beetle thing more closely than somebody living nowhere near Worcester should, but I must admit I'm linking to that story mainly because, like pretty much every other account today, the headline uses the phrase "Beetle battle" and I can't stop repeating that: Beetle battle. Beetle battle. Beetle battle.

Herald thinks there be dragons past Rte. 128

adamg — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:09:59 +0000

The Herald's Dave Wedge goes through Deval Patrick's 32-page wish list of infrastructure projects he hopes to have his pal Obama stimulate and finds several "potential pork projects," including:

$6 million to replace 20,000 trees damaged by "beetle infestation."

Nice use of quotation marks there, Dave. Never heard of the Asian Longhorned Beetle and how the feds are trying to prevent it from spreading from Worcester to, oh, every single maple tree in New England? Perhaps, as Worcester cuts down all those trees (well, the ones that didn't fall down last week), some enterprising arborists will save all the beetles they find and mail them to Wedge. After they've been killed, of course.

Asian Longhorned Beetle could slow Worcester cleanup

adamg — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:48:28 +0000

Jenn Forman Orth drives on a Worcester road. See if you can spot any beetles.

As if Worcester didn't already have enough problems, now comes word that residents in the beetle quarantine area are not being allowed to remove downed tree limbs:

Residents inside the Asian Longhorned beetle quarantine area have been told not to cut or remove limbs, because it could actually spread an infestation. Residents who move debris from the quarantine area face fines.

Orth, herself involved in the fight against the demonspawn insects, reports the US Department of Agriculture is extending hours at a special disposal site for wood too large to be chipped by certified companies. She adds:

... This storm is yet another reminder of the damage that Asian longhorned beetle has already done in our state. These wood-boring beetles weaken trees from the inside, making it less likely that trees can survive natural disturbances without suffering damage. Larvae remain active inside the wood for most of the winter. ...

Daily Worcesteria reports some towns in northern Worcester County may not get all their power back until next week and that there isn't a hotel room in all of Worcester to be had as powerless residents seek someplace warm for the night.

Meanwhile, several Worcester radio stations remained off the air as of noontime. WXLO came back live around 11 a.m., but ever since Zito left Jen, who cares?