State seeks to raise awareness about tree pests

Seeking to raise awareness about invasive pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer, the Department of Agricultural Resources has designated August as “Tree Check Month.”

The department is urging residents to learn about the longhorned beetle and ash borer, and to check trees for signs of damage caused by the pests.

Aug. 1 will mark the fifth anniversary of the initial detection of the Asian longhorned beetle in Massachusetts. Since then, more than 30,000 hardwood trees have been cut down after becoming infested by the beetle, according to the Department of Agricultural Resources.

The emerald ash borer, which was first sighted in Massachusetts late last summer in Berkshire County, is a small shiny green insect capable of killing an ash tree in just a few years. In March, the state announced a quarantine that prevents some wood products from being shipped to other parts of the state.

The ash borer, which is believed to have migrated from the Midwest over the past few years, already has inflicted substantial damage to ash trees in New York and other states to the west.

For more information, visit massnrc.org/pests/blog or contact Stacy Kilb, the state’s Asian longhorned beetle outreach coordinator, at stacy.kilb@state.ma.us or (617) 780-1371.