Minnesota Trying To Prepare For Arrival Of Emerald Ash Borer - Star-Tribune

DULUTH, Minn. — A half-inch bug is sending chills through Minnesota foresters and entomologists as it threatens to move into state forests. The emerald ash borer is a Chinese import that's already killed more than 20 million ash trees in southern Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. It has no natural enemies here, and North American trees have shown no natural resistance to the metallic-green creature.

The bug's larvae bore into the bark and eat tunnels that block the tree's water supply from moving up through the trunk. Emerald ash borers have killed all sizes and all 17 varieties of ash found in the United States. Some scientists are predicting that the bug will be even more devastating to Minnesota than Dutch elm disease.

But while Dutch elm affected mostly city trees and southern parts of the state, the emerald ash borer will zero in not just on urban shade trees but also millions of acres of northern forest thick with black ash.

"I dont know if weve ever seen another disease or insect that has done what this can do in Minnesota forests," said Lee Frelich, forest ecologist and director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota. "We could see the end of virtually all ash in the region." If that happens, Frelich said, few other species are ready or able to take their place. Black ash is the most common lowland species in northern forests, able to thrive in wet areas that most species can't tolerate. It's not clear what that would mean to wildlife or bird species in those areas, he said.

EDIT

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/980255.html

and start spreading those enemies ahead of the advance of the borers

Maybe the generals who gave us Iraq could direct this war too?

msongs
www.youtube.com/videos/msongs