December 9, 2008

Worcester, MA to cut down 4,500 trees

The Asian longhorned beetle has been hard at work in the Worcester area. We first mentioned this destructive bug in August and it looks like it has devastated a 63-mile area in Central Mass. Inspect your own trees and keep an eye out for dime-sized exit holes from which the beetle larvae emerge after wintering in the center of the tree.

Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff, writes that some trees have over 100 exit holes in them. There may be even more trees coming down in the future because USDA officials recommended removing a total of about 20,000 trees - both infested and at risk of infestation. For now, Worcester is starting with 4,500 and will take down some "at risk" trees and inspect them. In addition to the loss of bird habitats, fall foliage and shade is the $30+ million dollars it will cost for just the first year of beetle eradication.

Read the full article here.