Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Blog

Are you planning an Asian Longhorned Beetle lesson with a group of students, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or other youth group? This activity is perfect for young boys and girls! Students will learn about the morphology of Asian Longhorned Beetle (“ALB”) as you guide them through constructing an ALB ring!

Materials Needed:

• Black Construction Paper or ALB Ring Template
• scissors
• black and white pipe cleaners (“chenille stems”)
• white paint (acrylic paint works great)
• a small paint brush
• a hole punch (optional)

How to Construct the ALB Ring:

Step 1: Sketch an ALB body pattern on black construction paper or print out the ALB ring template.  (Tell the kids that a real ALB is about 1.5 to 2 inches long. We’re making the bodies larger so that kids can work with them more easily.)

Step 2: Using scissors, cut the ALB patterns out of the paper.  (Explain that ALB bodies are actually very shiny black, like patent leather, not matte like the construction paper or printed template.)

Step 3: Use the white paint to decorate the ALB body with spots. (Tell the students about the white spots on the back of an ALB.)

Step 4: While the paint dries, grab a black and a white pipe cleaner (“chenille stem”) and twist them together to form the ALB antennae. Twist stems completely together, end to end. (Explain that ALB is called a “Longhorned” beetle, not because they have horns, but because of their long black and white antennae.)

Step 5: Center the antennae around your middle finger and twist around to create a ring with the two antennae facing upward. (The ALB use these antennae to find one another on the trees.)

Step 6: Once your ALB spots are dry, use a hole punch or scissors to cut a small hole in the head of the ALB body (see photo).

Step 7: Hold the tips of the ALB antennae together and very carefully place them through the hole in the ALB body.  Make sure that they are very tight together, if they spread it may rip the paper.

Step 8: Carefully pull the ALB body down over the antennae, until it rests on the top of the ring.  Use caution in this step and make sure that the two sides of the antennae are held together the entire way through the hole.  If they spread apart the hole may rip open.

Step 9: You have now finished your ALB Ring!  Curl around the antennae as you see fit! (In nature they are only slightly curved towards the end, but there is a little wiggle room for creativity in your ALB ring!)

Kids can use their ALB ring to teach others about this invasive insect. They can tell others what an ALB looks like, use their hands to make the ALB look as if it is walking on a tree, or tell others how the ALB antennae help them find each other.

The public comment period for the establishment of an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Quarantine following the discovery of this invasive pest in Dalton, MA in August of this past year has been extended through 11/21/2012. For more information, including where to submit your comments and links to presentations made at the public meetings, see this document.

UMass Extension is reporting that winter moths will likely start to emerge in about a week or so. The winter moth (Operophtera brumata) is an invasive species first discovered in Massachusetts in the 1990s. Winter moth caterpillars are efficient tree defoliators, often stripping the leaves of oaks, maples and other hardwood trees down to lacy skeletons.

In mid-to-late fall, at a time of year where insect activity is practically at a standstill, these small brown winter moths will be seen in much of the eastern part of the state, sometimes congregating at porch lights by the hundreds. There are other similar-looking native moths active at this time of year, such as the Bruce spanworm moth and the fall cankerworm moth, but they are typically not seen in such large numbers. While the state does not regulate winter moth, some towns/cities do tree treatments, and the Elkinton Lab at University of Massachusetts Amherst currently has a biological control program underway.

If you see winter moths this November or December, we’d like to hear from you using the survey below. The information you provide will be used to assess the distribution of this invasive pest in our state and to determine possible sites for releasing the biocontrol.

Helpful links:

• For more information on winter moth biology and management, see this fact sheet from UMass Extension.
• For examples of male and female winter moths and fall cankerworm moths, see this photo gallery.
• If you would like to email a photo, please use our Pest Reporting Form.

The 2012 survey is complete. Thank you to all who participated!

It’s that time of year again: Temperatures outside are dropping, and to some insects that’s an open invitation to enter your home and hunker down for the winter.

Outside of New England, there are a lot of news stories about stink bugs invading people’s homes and destroying crops. The insect featured in those stories is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys or “BMSB”), notorious for descending on people’s homes and sneaking inside by the hundreds. BMSBs were accidentally introduced to the US from Asia back in the 1990s.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has been found in several counties in Massachusetts, but still appears to exist only at low levels in our state. To confuse matters, there is a similar-looking but much more common insect, the Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis), that is also very active in the early fall, and is also a home invader. Western conifer seed bugs are native to the west coast of the USA, but have been established on the east coast since the 1990s. They are not considered a significant environmental pest. You can often find them resting on the sides of houses, on doors and on window screens, where they are hoping to find a way to sneak in. These bugs do release a “stinky” liquid when startled, but they are not related to true stink bugs.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two species:

Note that the Western Conifer Seed Bug is much slimmer than the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, and has a white zig-zag line across the center of its body. Also note the little “flare” on its back legs (red arrow).

If you are having issues with these or other insects invading your home, the most important thing to do is to ensure that any possible points of entry are sealed up. Repair holes in window screens, fill in gaps in window and door frames, and cover or remove wall air conditioning units. For heavy infestations, consult a pest management professional.

If you are a grower concerned about the possible impact of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on your crops, here are some suggested resources for more information:

• Management Options from Stop BMSB
• UMass Extension’s BMSB Page

(Brown Marmorated Stinkbug image courtesy of Ted Kropiewnicki, bugguide.net. Western conifer seed bug image courtesy of Giancarlo Dessi, Wikimedia Commons)

Public meetings to address the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) in Massachusetts will be held the week of Oct. 14th at the following locations and times:

Tuesday, October 16, 2012 – 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Berkshire Atheneum, One Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 – 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Old Sturbridge Village, Visitors Center Theater
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA

At these meetings, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the USDA’s Forest Service will address the implications surrounding the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in western Massachusetts.

Central to these meetings is the issue of establishing a quarantine boundary within the state that would restrict the movement of certain wood products under certain conditions. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session, and general feedback will be elicited to help guide the state’s actions as it moves forward with responding to the discovery of this destructive pest.

If you have questions about the public meeting, please call 617-626-4974 or email DCR.Updates@state.ma.us. To download a printable copy of this notice, click here.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request by emailing Agatha Summons-McGuire at agatha.summons@state.ma.us or by calling her at 617-626-1282. Please provide Ms. McGuire with a description of the accommodation you will need, including as much detail as you can, as well as information on how she can contact you if more information is needed. Please allow at least two weeks (14 days) advance notice to Ms. McGuire of a need for reasonable accommodations; last-minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. To request materials in accessible formats (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), please also contact Ms. McGuire.

State Officials Confirm Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Massachusetts for First Time

Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) today announced that the Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been detected in Massachusetts. The destructive beetle was detected in the western Massachusetts town of Dalton on August 31, 2012, and was confirmed by federal officials on September 6. Massachusetts is the 18^th state in the country to detect EAB.

DCR and DAR officials are working together, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the USDA’s United States Forest Service to take a number of swift proactive steps aimed at preventing the spread of the invasive beetle, including:

• Defining a quarantine area that would only allow the movement of certain wood products under certain conditions.
• A de-limiting survey to help identify the extent of the infestation.
• Working with stakeholders to ensure they know how to properly treat or dispose of infested trees and materials.
• A survey with federal agencies to determine how long the area in which EAB has been present in our state, information which will help determine strategies in how to best address the threat.
• DCR will also maintain a ban that has been in place against bringing any firewood into state parks and forests.

“The Emerald ash borer brings a very serious threat to our ash trees, and we are not taking its presence lightly,” said DCR Commissioner Ed Lambert. “We are taking swift action to address the infestation, and are working to mitigate any impact an infestation could bring.”

“Together with DCR, we are moving forward to develop and implement the best strategies to contain this invasive pest,” said DAR Commissioner Greg Watson.

Regulated items that would fall under quarantine include the following:

The Emerald ash borer, in any living stage of development;

• Firewood of all hardwood species;
• Nursery stock of the genus (Ash);
• Green lumber of the genus (Ash);
• Other material living, dead, cut, or fallen, including logs, stumps, roots, branches, and composted and uncomposted chips of the genus (Ash);
• Any other article, product, or means of conveyance that an inspector determines presents a risk of spreading Emerald ash borer and notifies the person in possession of the article, product, or means of conveyance that it is subject to the restrictions of the regulations.

The EAB is a small, flying beetle, native to Asia. It was first discovered in North America in 2002, in the Detroit, Michigan area. Unlike other invasive beetles, the EAB can kill a tree fast, within just a few years, because it bores directly under the bark, where the tree’s conductive system is. Since its discovery in North America, it has killed millions of ash trees and has caused billions of dollars in economic loss across the nation.

Ash is a main component of the Northern Hardwood forest in Massachusetts and is a common species in the Berkshires.  Ash is also a common street tree in eastern Massachusetts.

Residents are urged to take the time to learn the signs of EAB tree damage and be sure to report any sightings.

• Look for tiny, D-shaped exit holes in the bark of ash trees, die-back in the upper third of the tree canopy, and sprouting of branches just below this dead area.
• The Emerald ash borer is a tiny, emerald-green metallic beetle, so small that seven of them could fit on the head of a penny.

To report possible EAB tree damage or insect sightings, use our online reporting form or call the toll free EAB hotline at 1-866-322-4512.

Have you heard about the emerald ash borer, an invasive species that attacks and kills ash trees? Did you know that this invasive pest is less than 25 miles from the Massachusetts border in New York? The Massachusetts Wasp Watchers project needs your help to detect EAB! We’ve found a wasp that is an expert at hunting them, and we need volunteers to assist with tracking those wasps.

The smoky-winged beetle bandit (Cerceris fumipennis), a native wasp species, feeds its young by catching beetles in the Buprestidae family, including that most infamous of Buprestids, emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis).

Cerceris wasps are a valuable tool in our efforts to find EAB as early as possible, and early detection is our best weapon in preparing for how to manage this pest. The wasps are easy to hunt for, because they build their nests in baseball fields, parking lots, and other places where hard-packed, sandy soil is found. And, lucky for us, these wasps do not sting, even when handled.

The Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources is looking for volunteers to adopt sites with established wasp colonies, to monitor the wasp nests and collect beetles. We will train you and provide you with the tools you need. A training session is coming up mid-June, when the wasps are first expected to emerge for the summer. To register, fill out the form below. For more information, contact Jennifer Forman Orth at jennifer.forman-orth@state.ma.us or 617-626-1735.

To learn more about the Massachusetts Wasp Watchers project, see our previous blog post.

Photos by M. Bohne (USFS) and Ale Echandi (DCR).

Over the past couple of weeks, our pest reporting website has been deluged with reports from people who are worried they’ve spotted the dreaded Asian longhorned beetle. Turns out almost all of these reports can be blamed on a look-alike, the whitespotted sawyer:

The whitespotted sawyer (Monochamus scutellatus) is a native beetle that attacks diseased and damaged pine trees. It emerges from trees earlier in the season than Asian longhorned beetles (“ALB”), which is not expected to be seen in Massachusetts until the end of June. Both beetles are black with white spots and long, black-and-white banded antennae, but sawyers are not as shiny as ALB, they have fewer and duller white markings, and they all have a distinct, white, half-circle marking at the top center of their wing covers. Use this image to compare:

If you think you’ve seen an Asian longhorned beetle, or you aren’t sure what you’ve seen, you should always report it. Try to get a photo or capture the insect if you can.

Bob Childs, an entomologist with UMass Extension, recently released a Winter Moth Update for Massachusetts, noting that the early hatch of caterpillars followed by below-freezing temperatures in many parts of the state apparently led to a serious decline in populations of this defoliating pest. While this is surely a relief to many who were concerned that a mild winter and warm early spring would mean thriving populations of winter moth caterpillars, there are definitely still caterpillars around – if you have an infested tree and are concerned that the leaves might not properly outgrow feeding damage, you may wish to consider treatment options. Read more at the UMass Extension Blog.

Since the discovery of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis or “ALB”) in Worcester, MA back in 2008, the state has been spreading the word about this wood-boring pest and what the public can do to stop its spread. While there are just a few of us tasked with the job, there are many more of you out there that are educators and have the ability and the means to teach others, and we’re looking for your help!

We are looking for teachers, homeschoolers, scout troop leaders and other educators who know a group of environmentally-conscious kids interested in learning about ALB and spreading the message about this pest to other students, teachers, their neighborhood, and beyond! We will come to you with a free training session and will provide you with all the materials the students will need to distribute information about ALB.

Some projects students have come up with so far include:

• An environmental club canvassing all the teachers at the school with ALB ID cards and a letter asking the teachers to check their trees for ALB
• A biology class performing an ALB tree survey on school grounds
• A Girl Scout troop that recorded a PSA that aired on the their town’s cable access channel

You and your students can help stop the spread of this invasive pest by teaching those we haven’t yet reached. Interested? Contact Samantha Brady at Samantha.brady@state.ma.us, or call 617-626-1735.