The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) recently announced that tests confirm the presence of emerald ash borers (EAB), an invasive insect, in four Connecticut counties: Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, and New Haven. Previously, the state and federal governments imposed quarantines regulating the movement of firewood and ash products from within New Haven County to other areas. CAES states the scope of the quarantines will expand due to the detection of EAB in other counties.
Regulations also restrict the movement of firewood from out-of-state into Connecticut. These regulations attempt to prevent EAB and other invasive insects from entering Connecticut through the movement of firewood.
The EAB is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees in the United States. It has been found in 20 states from Kansas and Michigan to New Hampshire and south to North Carolina. Ash makes up between 4% and 15% of Connecticut’s forests.
The Hartford Courant reports that local arborists are studying the EAB to learn how to (1) spot it, (2) save trees, and (3) prevent its spread.
