Biocontrol released in Michigan for emerald ash borer

Researchers from the USDA have added another tool to the arsenal against the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis, "EAB"). As reported in this article from E: The Environmental Magazine, three different wasp predators, all natural enemies of the EAB, are currently being reared and released into the wild to fight the tiny green invasive beetle. The release sites are all in Michigan, where ash trees have been under attack since the late 1990s.

The emerald ash borer has never been found in New England, but state agencies in Massachusetts remain on the lookout for this pest. To learn more about it, check out our EAB pest fact sheet. You can learn more about this and other pests of the Great Lakes region by visiting the Illinois CAPS blog.