Emerald Ash Borer Found in Connecticut

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) recently announced that the emerald ash borer, an invasive destructive beetle, was detected in Prospect, Connecticut on July 16, 2012 by CAES staff.  This is the first time the insect has been recorded in Connecticut, which joins 15 other states where infestations have occurred.  According to DEEP, the emerald ash borer is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees from the mid-west to New York to Tennessee.  Connecticut has over 22 million ash trees and the insect’s presence represents an environmental threat to the state. 

DEEP and CAES have also announced steps to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, including a (1) quarantine zone that prohibits the movement of certain wood products out of New Haven county and (2) ban on the importation of firewood through New York or Massachusetts, unless it is properly certified or known to come from an area not infested.