November 11, 2004

DNR, Purdue plan emerald ash borer public meeting

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will host a public meeting about Indiana's emerald ash borer infestation at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17 at the Marion Mennonite Church in LaGrange County.

The church is located at the intersection of State Road 120 and County Road 450 W. The meeting is free and open to the public.

The emerald ash borer is an exotic species of beetle that destroys ash trees. In order to stop the spread of this beetle the DNR will cut down and destroy approximately 23,000 trees in LaGrange County.

"This is a chance for residents of areas in and around the quarantined zone to learn what the state is doing and find out more about the emerald ash borer," said Bob Waltz, Indiana state entomologist.

Representatives from the Department of Natural Resources and Purdue Extension will talk what the state is doing to stop the spread of emerald ash borer, the ash quarantine zone and where trees will be cut down.

Jodie Ellis, the invasive species education coordinator for Purdue Extension, will talk about the life cycle and biology of the beetle, as well as ways people can help stop the spread of emerald ash borer.

"Indiana's infestations likely happened because humans moved infested ash products," Ellis said. "More than likely it occurred when firewood or nursery stock was moved. That's why it's important that Hoosiers don't move firewood, or if they're going to move it, they should debark all firewood before traveling and burn all the wood they brought with them."

The adult emerald ash borer is slender and a bright, metallic, coppery-green color. It is about one-third of an inch long, making it difficult to spot in tree leaves. The larval, or immature, form of the pest destroys live ash trees by eating the vascular tissue that supplies nutrients to the tree, Ellis said. The tree starves to death three years after the vascular tissue is destroyed. The beetle has already killed more than 6 million trees ash trees in Michigan since it was found in July 2002

Writer: Kay Hagen, (765) 494-6682, kjh@purdue.edu

Sources: Jodie Ellis, (765) 494-0822, ellisj@purdue.edu

Bob Waltz, (317) 232-4120, bwaltz@dnr.IN.gov

Purdue University emerald ash borer information

Indiana DNR emerald ash borer information

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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