ALB Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 9 (6/18/2009)

This is Volume 1, Issue 9 (06/18/2009) of the ALB Newsletter, your link to the latest information about the Asian longhorned beetle, brought to you by the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project (MIPOP).

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Recent News

• The Massachusetts ALB Cooperative Eradication Program has added new employees to beef up survey efforts and assist with tree removals and tree replanting. (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
• NPR recently covered efforts in New England to prevent the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle. (audio)
• New Hampshire is asking Worcester residents with second homes in NH if they have ever transported wood to the state. (New Hampshire Public Radio)
• The USDA has proposed removing another 300 ALB-infested trees in Worcester before the beetle emerges in July, and the Worcester City Council has approved the move. (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
• New beetle-infested trees have been found in Holden, MA by workers clearing last winter's ice storm debris; an expansion of the regulated area is possible. (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
• Bob Childs, an entomologist at UMass Amherst and pest specialist at UMass Extension, recently spoke about Asian longhorned beetle vs. whitespotted sawyers on the WBZ podcast.
• The Worcester Telegram & Gazette recently reported on how to distinguish ALB from whitespotted sawyers.
• A concerned citizen in Douglas, MA thought he found an Asian longhorned beetle on his property. It turned out to be a native whitespotted sawyer. (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
• To learn more about the differences between ALB and whitespotted sawyer beetles, click here.

Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities:

• Sign up for Asian longhorned beetle identification training through serve.gov!
• Southeast Elementary School in Leominster, MA will be holding an ALB information session for 100 5th grade students on June 23rd.
• Bob Childs from UMass Extension is giving a talk about ALB at the New England Agriculture Teachers Conference on June 24th.
• The Worcester Tornadoes baseball team will be hosting Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Night on July 30th. Vote for your favorite Promotional Night on the team's website.
• Giving a talk or manning a booth about Asian longhorned beetle? We can help you get ID cards, pest alerts, etc. Email jennifer.forman-orth AT state.ma.us or call 617-626-1735 for details. Inquiries for events outside of Massachusetts will get forwarded to the appropriate state.

Regulated Area

• Phase 1, 2 and 3 tree removal map: (from from 02/11/2009)
• Most recent regulated area map (from 12/23/2008)

General Information

• Think you have found an Asian longhorned beetle? Preserve it in the freezer or in a jar with rubbing alcohol; then file a report with the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project. Thank you to the many concerned citizens who have been reporting their beetle sightings!
• The latest maps, fact sheets, and information can be found at the official website of the Massachusetts ALB Cooperative Eradication Program
• UMass Extension’s ALB page
• Asian Longhorned Beetle page from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette

If you have ALB-related links or other information that you would like to share, email pestalert@massnrc.org.

Get this news as it happens with the ALB Twitter feed

This is the ALB Newsletter from the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project (MIPOP). Visit our website for more information (http://www.massnrc.org/pests), or to sign up to receive this newsletter by email (http://massnrc.org/pests/signup.aspx).

DISCLAIMER: The listing of hyperlinks in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. MIPOP makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of any of these links.