State officials in News Hampshire are preparing to discuss a new invasive species of beetle that is plaguing the region.
The beetle is called the "emerald ash borer," and is originally from China. It was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, and has since killed millions of ash trees across the country. It is most often spread when people transport firewood, and the problem has become so widespread that national " Don't Move Firewood" campaigns have been enacted.
To date, the emerald ash borer has been found in 18 other states, in addition to the recent discovery in the aforementioned New Hampshire. Representatives from the Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development and the Department of Agriculture have reported that a suspected infected tree was found in Concord on March 28, with federal authorities later confirming that the specimens found were indeed emerald ash borers.
Lorraine Merrill, the state's Agriculture Commissioner, stated that the discovery wasn't entirely unexpected, and that New Hampshire is already beginning its response. The first stage will be a survey to determine just how many beetles are currently residing in the state.
"This is something we've been prepared for. [The ash borer] is in neighboring states and we knew it was somewhat inevitable that it would make its way up here," Merrill said.
The larvae of the beetle species feeds just below the bark of ash tree, while the adults eat the leaves, both contributing to the tree's eventual death. The emerald ash borer has the potential to devastate forests if they are not dealt with quickly. This will likely mean a quarantine of affected areas to prevent the removal of infected wood, although this will certainly be a big problem for the region's timber industry.
State officials plan to release their full plan for handling the beetle soon.