Purple boxes are being spotted all over Genesee County. They can be seen hanging from trees and look rather curious.
The hanging prisms are intended to help USDA and state officials spot any new infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer, a pesky little beetle that munches on Ash leaves, but worse, lays larva in the Ash bark, which bores into the wood, disrupting a trees circulation system, eventually killing the tree.
Emerald Ash Borers have killed 10s of millions of Ash trees in North America, according to Sharon Lucik, a public information officer for the USDA in Michigan, where the beetle was first spotted in the U.S. in 2002.
No beetles have been found in New York, yet, with the borers being found in Canada and Pennsylvania, the USDA and state officials want to know as soon as it is spotted in the area, if ever, and make sure the area is quarantined, which means no wood can be transported from that area.
Apparently, the Emerald Ash Borer loves the color purple. The traps also contain a lure that smells to the beetle like a distressed Ash tree, such as one that has been damaged by man or mother nature. The beetles will attack a healthy tree, but are quick to head to a tree it suspects is in a weakened state.
The beetles like Ash and only Ash.
Reader Gary Diegelman, who alerted us to this story and did some initial research, said he found out the boxes are placed on road right of ways approximately every 1.5 miles. The boxes will be hanging around most of the summer.
There is no government eradication program, Lucik said. It's up to each individual property owner to decide what to do if a beetle is found on his or her property. The options include doing nothing, spraying a pesticide or removing the invested trees. Of course, in the third option, the wood cannot be taken from the quarantined area.
The Ash Borer is a native of Asia and there is no known predator for the pest in North America. It probably arrived in the U.S. riding in packing create wood or pallets aboard cargo ships.
The beetle would probably only migrate no more than half a mile a year on its own, Lucik said, but when people use Ash for fire wood or building material, the Ash can be transported up to hundreds of miles.
The USDA program is designed aimed at quick detection so any invested Ash doesn't leave the area.
(Trap picture borrowed from a government Web site. It is not a local picture.)
Take a trip down Transit Road
Take a trip down Transit Road from Stafford to Route 63. You'll see at least three of them. The first one I noticed was by LeRoy High School, on South Street Road.
2 on creek road... 1 on starr
2 on creek road...
1 on starr road in pavilion...
There is one on Seven Springs
There is one on Seven Springs Road, right in front of the entrance to Seven Springs Country Club
Louis Tandy from the Dept.of
Louis Tandy from the Dept.of Ag is meeting me at 10am tomorrow to inspect our Ash trees. I described whats happening to them, and wants to check them. Something has been killing them for about 10 yrs. now. The bark is cracking, and the trees are dieing from the top down. These little pests need to be stopped.
If you need to inquire about your Ash trees call Louis Tandy @ 585-343-9167 ext. 1033
Karen do you got a bug up
Karen do you got a bug up your ASH....
giggles
giggles
No, after Lou came out
No, after Lou came out yesterday, and checked my ASH lol he found no sign of the Illusive Emerald Ash Beetle. Thank God. He was very informative,and it was like being on a field trip with the DEC. Mark I love you!!!! U A**, I'm cracking Up. I miss having a laugh with you..Mike and I are headed to Saranac Lake for our anniversary. Can't wait!!
Saw one of the boxes in
Saw one of the boxes in Monroe County on Jefferson outside of RIT yesterday.
They have the beetles in Cattaraugus County
Albany in their infinite wisdom says don't worry about it.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990629…
Peter, This is what the
Peter,
This is what the state really says: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/55725.html
In other words they still
In other words they still have no solution and have done nothing other than look for them.
There's one along South Main
There's one along South Main Street and another on Colby in Darien.
Found two, one on Kelsey Rd,
Found two, one on Kelsey Rd, and another on 63 North, in S. Alabama.
The box on 63 North in S.
The box on 63 North in S. Alabama must be doing something. The entire box was covered with insects when we drove by yesterday.
I went by the one on Kelsey
I went by the one on Kelsey Rd. on Sunday. Thought I saw bugs all over it.
We went by one on 19N Lake
We went by one on 19N Lake Rd. just before entering the town of Sweden and saw a box on the left hand side. It was covered with bugs too.
The boxes must be doing something. Hopefully it helps.
Saw a box on Galloway Rd.
Saw a box on Galloway Rd. yesterday. Spotted it too late to see if was bug covered.
The box's have attractant in
The box's have attractant in them that the beetle likes. The sticky stuff on the outside of the box is usually filled with bugs of all kinds. They have confirmed the beetle in Catturagus County. These critters will kill off the ash trees pretty fast. I wish them luck in trying to gain control of them.
Yeah I said that July 8th....
Yeah I said that July 8th....
Saw one on the Meadville Rd.
Saw one on the Meadville Rd.