"The beetle, native to Asia.... [is] believed to have been brought here accidentally in shipping materials"
"Swat team takes to trees; Battling the beetle threatening N.E.'s forests" by Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff | October 18, 2008
WORCESTER - A beetle SWAT team of 32 climbers is going tree by tree and street by street, the start of a monumental task that will take years. On public ways alone, there are about 19,000 trees in Worcester, the vast majority of which are maples - the insect's favorite. Every tree vulnerable to the beetles - hardwoods including elms, willows, and birch in addition to maples - will have to be checked by climbers or crews hoisted in buckets or armed with binoculars.
The sense of urgency comes from the size of the threat and its proximity to the treasured woodlands of Northern New England. The USDA says the beetle has the potential to cause more damage than gypsy moths, Dutch elm disease, and chestnut blight combined. The beetle has been found in a handful of other spots in the United States, but scientists say this infestation represents a unique threat.
Infestation spells death for a tree - which will be cut down and turned to wood chips, because the beetle cannot be eradicated with insecticides alone. Some uninfested trees might also have to be cut down, and all remaining vulnerable trees will be treated with chemicals beginning next year.
The beetle, native to Asia, weakens and eventually kills trees by cutting off the circulatory system. It's believed to have been brought here accidentally in shipping materials. The area being regulated now includes the entire City of Worcester and parts of neighboring towns Holden, West Boylston, Boylston, and Shrewsbury. There are restrictions on cutting down trees or taking wood out of that area.
The beetle was first found in the United States in Brooklyn in 1996, and has since appeared in New Jersey, New York, and Chicago. Thousands of trees have been removed over the years or inoculated with an insecticide to stop the advance. Eradication can take years, and the beetles can be a formidable foe. Illinois declared victory this spring after a decade of battling the bug. But months later, there was an ominous sign: a lone adult showed up in a parking lot. --more--"
Translation: That thing is here to stay; they ain't going to be able to eradicate them!
And HOW MUCH TAXPAPYER $$$ is this going to cost?
