First Signs of Emerald Ash Borer Damage Observed at White Memorial

Emerald ash borer is a highly invasive insect that was introduced from Asia and was first detected at White Memorial in 2014.  White Memorial staff and volunteers utilized a variety of surveillance programs starting in 2012 including Cerceris wasp biosurveillance, double-decker purple prism traps, and encouraging USDA and UCONN to install canopy purple prism traps throughout the property.  We observed our first signs of Emerald Ash Borer damage on the property during the winter of 2016 and 2017.  The damage is caused by woodpeckers picking at the bark of ash trees exposing the lighter-colored underbark to acquire EAB larvae living under the bark.  This pattern is commonly referred to as "blonding".  Blonding is often observed in the canopy of the trees first since that is where the adults often lay their eggs and where the larvae start to feed under the bark.  We often see blonding along the southern aspect of the tree trunk which is likely the preferred location for adults to lay their eggs so that larvae develop faster on the warmer side of the tree.

White ash (Fraxinus americanus) blonding caused by woodpeckers searching
for Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) larvae.

Blonding can be observed along the entire length of the tree trunk, from canopy to ground.

Close-up view of white ash tree blonding.

Close-up view of Emerald Ash Borer exit hole (D-shaped hole) which is evidence of adults emerging from this tree.

Current Emerald Ash Borer Distribution in Connecticut

Emerald Ash Borer Distribution Map in Connecticut as of July 24, 2015.
By Claire Rutledge, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Emerald Ash Borer continues to spread throughout the state and is currently detected in every county, except for Windham County.  The map above shows the spread and detection rate of EAB, to date.  For more information about Emerald Ash Borer and management options please visit http://www.emeraldashborer.info/.  The best method for preventing the movement of EAB and other invasive pests and pathogens is to not move firewood, please visit http://www.dontmovefirewood.org/ for a list of invasive species that are being spread by transporting firewood long distances.  When you use firewood whether to heat your home or when camping, buy it and burn it locally!

Ashes to ashes Republican American

White Memorial Conservation Center research director James Fischer measures
the girth of a century-old white ash tree on the preserve.  Ash trees across
the state are in danger from the emerald ash borer.
Photo by Kathryn Boughton, Republican-American.

Ashes to ashes Republican American

White Memorial's Emerald Ash Borer Surveillance program was mentioned in this article on January 3, 2015 in the Republican American.

EMERALD ASH BORER DISTRIBUTION EXPANDING IN CONNECTICUT: CAES Press Release

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

123 HUNTINGTON STREET, P.O. BOX 1106, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06504

Putting Science to Work for Society

Protecting Agriculture, Public Health, and the Environment

Founded 1875

Phone: (203) 974-8500 Fax: (203) 974-8502

Toll Free: 1-(877) 855-2237

WWW.CT.GOV/CAES

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III, Ph.D Dr. Claire Rutledge, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist/State Entomologist Assistant Scientist II
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street 123 Huntington Street
P.O. Box 1106 P.O. Box 1106
New Haven, CT 06504 New Haven, CT 06504
Phone: (203) 974-8485 Phone: (203) 974-8484

EMERALD ASH BORER DISTRIBUTION EXPANDING IN CONNECTICUT

New Haven, CT - The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) announced today that the
emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) (EAB) infestation, largely centered in New Haven County, has
rapidly expanded into Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, and Middlesex Counties and has now been detected
in a total of 38 towns. The new towns where the beetle has been detected this year include: Ansonia,
Branford, Bristol, Clinton, Cromwell, Derby, Durham, Litchfield, Meriden, New Haven, North Haven,
Orange, Plainville, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Shelton, Thomaston, Trumbull, Wallingford, West Haven,
Wolcott, Woodbridge, Woodbury. The insects were previously found in Beacon Falls, Bethany, Cheshire,
Hamden, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Newtown, North Branford, Oxford, Prospect, Sherman, Southbury,
Southington, and Waterbury in 2012 or 2013. Additional detections are anticipated.

The emerald ash borer is a destructive insect and has been responsible for the death and decline of tens of
millions of ash trees from Colorado and the mid-west to New England and south to Georgia. Ash makes
up about 4% to 15% of Connecticut’s forests and represents about 2-3% of the urban trees in many
communities.

“Unfortunately, we are now seeing a lot of dead and dying ash in New Haven County and more ash trees
will die as a result of this expanding infestation” said State Entomologist Kirby C. Stafford III. When
EAB is found, municipalities and homeowners can assess their ash trees and plan for the impact of this
beetle. High value trees and lightly infested trees can be treated with systemic insecticides to protect them
against the emerald ash borer. Untreated ash trees will be lost and can die within 2-3 years once infested.
Ash trees quickly decline and become hazardous, requiring removal, depending upon their location and
risk to people and property.

“The spread of EAB within our state poses a severe and imminent threat to ash trees on both private and
public property,” said Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee. “It
is critical for property owners to assess the condition of their ash trees and make decisions to treat trees
with appropriate chemicals to try to save them or to remove trees that pose safety risks. We also strongly
encourage property owners to utilize only licensed and insured professionals to either treat or remove their ash trees.”

Many EAB detections have been made by monitoring the ground-nesting, native wasp (Cerceris fumipennis), which hunts many wood-boring beetles, including the emerald ash borer. The wasp is an effective “biological surveillance” survey tool and does not sting people or pets according to Dr. Claire E. Rutledge, who runs the CAES survey program. In addition, purple detection traps have been set across Middlesex, Tolland, Windham, and New London counties by Thomas Worthley, University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System. The surveillance programs are supported by the USDA-APHIS-PPQ.

In Connecticut, quarantine had previously been established that regulates the movement of ash logs, ash materials, ash nursery stock, and hardwood firewood from within Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven Counties to any area outside of those counties to help slow the spread of the beetle. The quarantine currently applies to only those four counties and mirrors a federal quarantine also imposed on the four counties.

With the detection of EAB in Middlesex County and rapid expansion of the EAB infestation to five of the state’s eight counties, CAES plans to remove the state internal quarantine by adding Middlesex, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties to the existing EAB quarantine. Until that time, the current state and federal EAB quarantine is still in effect. A public hearing will be held in August at the CAES Griswold Research Center, 190 Sheldon Road, Griswold, CT 06351, on a date still to be determined.

Regulations also are in effect regulating the movement of firewood from out-of-state into Connecticut or within Connecticut. These regulations were put in place to ensure that other invasive insects, not just the emerald ash borer, are not carried into Connecticut through the shipment of firewood. These regulations are not influenced by the new EAB detections.

Detailed information about the current quarantine and the firewood regulations can be found at www.ct.gov/deep/eab or www.ct.gov/caes.

The emerald ash borer is a regulated plant pest under federal (7 CFR 301.53) and state (CT Gen. Statute Sec. 22-84-5d, e, and f) regulations. For more information about the EAB, please visit the following website: www.emeraldashborer.info. A fact sheet providing guidelines on the treatment of ash trees to protect them from EAB is also available at www.ct.gov/caes.

###

Phone: (203) 974-8500 Fax: (203) 974-8502

Toll Free: 1-(877) 855-2237

WWW.CT.GOV/CAES

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Nasty bug invades Litchfield Republican American

A native Buprestid beetle captured by a Cerceris Wasp and sent to CT Ag. Exp. Station for identification.

Nasty bug invades Litchfield Republican American



We detected Emerald Ash Borer for the first time in Litchfield while utilizing Cerceris Wasp as a bio-surveillance tool.  John McKenna reported on the problem in the Sunday's (July 13, 2014) Waterbury Republican American newspaper.

Ash Borer Traps 2014

Here's some information on another project of ours. I am personally all too familiar with this project, seeing as how much we focused on it last summer. So, has anyone seen our purple traps lately? I'll tell you straight away that they haven't moved much since last year. Now, while the state is no longer keeping tabs on their hanging traps in western Connecticut, we're still checking ours on a regular basis.
We're checking the traps for an invasive beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer. It has already been found most recently in the towns of Southington and Watertown, so we're on alert here in Litchfield.

Ash Borer trap at the Wamogo high school

The beetles are attracted to both the color of the trap and the scent pack located on the other side of the panels.The scent pack contains chemicals that are associated with ash leaves. At each trap we must first take it down and then check the purple panels for Emerald Ash Borers. The beetles get stuck on the sticky residue coated on the panels and can't really go anywhere. We go to each side of the trap and meticulously scan over the insects to see if any are Eastern Ash Borers present. If there are any insects that look suspicious, we take them off of the trap and preserve them in ethyl alcohol until we can make a proper identification. 

We have checked all of the traps on our property and thankfully we have yet to find any ash borers. The most common insects we find are usually fireflies. We will continue to check these traps until evidence of ash borers in Litchfield is found. 

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN TWO NEW COUNTIES IN CONNECTICUT, HARTFORD AND LITCHFIELD

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 9, 2013

Email: Kirby.Stafford@ct.gov Email: Victoria.Smith@ct.gov

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN TWO NEW COUNTIES IN CONNECTICUT, HARTFORD
AND LITCHFIELD

New Haven, CT - The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) announced today that the 
emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) has been detected in two additional Connecticut counties –
Hartford and Litchfield – in the towns of Southington and Watertown on July 29 and August 1, 2013, 
respectively. This invasive insect has now been found in four Connecticut counties and fifteen towns. The
identification of EAB in Southington and Watertown has been confirmed by the federal regulatory
officials in the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine
(USDA-APHIS-PPQ). The Watertown detection was made through the Experiment Station’s Cerceris
wasp biosurveillance program and the Southington detection was through the purple prism trap program
run by the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System.

In Connecticut, a quarantine was previously established that regulates the movement of ash logs, ash
materials, ash nursery stock, and hardwood firewood from within New Haven County to any area outside
of that county. The New Haven County quarantine mirrors a federal quarantine also imposed on New
Haven County. The Hartford and Litchfield detection, in addition to the earlier Fairfield County detection
in Sherman, CT will result in the expansion of the state and federal quarantines in Connecticut.

The emerald ash borer is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees and has been
detected in 20 states from Kansas and Michigan to New Hampshire and south to North Carolina. Ash
makes up about 4% to 15% of Connecticut’s forests and is a common urban tree.

In Connecticut, the insects were previously confirmed in Prospect, Naugatuck, Bethany, Beacon Falls,
Waterbury, Cheshire, Oxford, Middlebury, Hamden, North Branford, and Southbury, all in New Haven
County, and Sherman in Fairfield County as part of surveys conducted by CAES, the Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the U.S. Forest Service, and the University of Connecticut
Cooperative Extension via an agreement with USDA APHIS PPQ in joint efforts to detect the presence of
EAB in the state or determine the extent of the current New Haven County infestation. More recently, EAB has also been detected in Newtown, CT. EAB has also been identified in Dutchess County, New
York, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and Merrimack County, New Hampshire.

A single specimen of EAB was recovered in Watertown by a burrow of the ground-nesting, native wasp
(Cerceris fumipennis), which hunts beetles in the family Buprestidae, including the emerald ash borer.
The wasp is an efficient and effective “biosurveillance” survey tool and does not sting people or pets.
Another single specimen of EAB was detected in a purple prism trap in Southington. There are 307 purple
prism detection trapsset across the state, excluding New Haven County, by the University of Connecticut
Cooperative Extension System. The EAB surveillance program is supported by the USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
“These latest detections are largely near or adjacent to our known infestations and most are likely part of
the original New Haven infestation. Nevertheless, we are seeing more and more of our ash trees at risk.”
said State Entomologist Kirby C. Stafford III. “Not moving firewood or ash still remains one of the best
waysto help slow the spread of EAB.” A public hearing on the expansion of the existing EAB quarantine
to Fairfield, Litchfield, and Hartford Counties will be held at the Prospect Town Hall at 7PM on
Wednesday, August 28, 2013.

“It is disturbing to see the spread of EAB to two new Connecticut counties and reinforces the need to curb
its spread by preventing the movement of wood products out of affected areas,” said DEEP Commissioner
Daniel C. Esty. “We will continue to work closely with The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station,
the Department of Transportation, and other state and local agencies to limit the spread of EAB and
minimize the impact this invasive beetle will have on Connecticut’s ash trees.”

Regulations are also in effect regulating the movement of firewood from out-of-state into Connecticut
or within Connecticut, including the requirement of a permit to bring out-of-state firewood into
Connecticut. These regulations were put in place to ensure that EAB and other invasive insects are not
carried into Connecticut, or spread throughout New England, through the movement of firewood.

Detailed information about the quarantine, including its expansion, and the firewood regulations can be
found at www.ct.gov/deep/eab or www.ct.gov/caes/eab

The emerald ash borer is a regulated plant pest under federal (7 CFR 301.53) and state (CT Gen. Statute
Sec. 22-84-5d, e, and f) regulations. For more information about the EAB, please visit the following
website: www.emeraldashborer.info. A fact sheet providing guidelines on the treatment of ash trees to
protect them from EAB is also available at www.ct.gov/caes/eab.

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN THE TOWN OF SHERMAN IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 26, 2013

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III, Ph.D.
Vice Director, Chief Scientist/State Entomologist
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street (zip 06511)
P.O. Box 1106
New Haven, CT 06504
Phone: (203) 974-8485

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN THE TOWN OF SHERMAN IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY,
CONNECTICUT

New Haven, CT - The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) announced today that the
emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) has been detected in another Connecticut county –
Fairfield – in the town of Sherman, CT on July 19, 2013. This invasive insect has now been found in two
Connecticut counties and twelve towns. The identification of EAB has been confirmed by the federal
regulatory officials in the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and
Quarantine (USDA-APHIS-PPQ). This new county detection, like that of the initial New Haven County
detection in 2012, was made through the Experiment Station’s Cerceris wasp biosurveillance program.
In Connecticut, a quarantine has previously been established that regulates the movement of ash logs, ash
materials, ash nursery stock, and hardwood firewood from within New Haven County to any area outside
of that county. The New Haven County quarantine mirrors a federal quarantine also imposed on New
Haven County. This Fairfield County detection will result in the expansion of the state and federal
quarantines in Connecticut.

The emerald ash borer is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees and has been
detected in 20 states from Kansas and Michigan to New Hampshire and south to North Carolina. Ash
makes up about 4% to 15% of Connecticut’s forests and is a common urban tree.
In Connecticut, the insects were previously confirmed in Prospect, Naugatuck, Bethany, Beacon Falls,
Waterbury, Cheshire, Oxford, Middlebury, Hamden, North Branford, and Southbury, all in New Haven
County, as part of surveys conducted by CAES, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
(DEEP), the U.S. Forest Service, and the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension via an
agreement with USDA APHIS PPQ in joint efforts to detect the presence of EAB in the state or determine
the extent of the current New Haven County infestation. The Hamden detection was initially reported by
a homeowner. EAB has also been identified in Dutchess County, New York, Berkshire County,
Massachusetts and Merrimack County, New Hampshire.

A single specimen of EAB was recovered in Sherman from the ground-nesting, native wasp (Cerceris
fumipennis), which hunts beetles in the family Buprestidae, including the emerald ash borer. The wasp is
an efficient and effective “biosurveillance” survey tool and does not sting people or pets. In addition, 307
purple prism detection traps have been set across the state, excluding New Haven County, by the
University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System. The EAB surveillance program is supported by
the USDA-APHIS-PPQ.

“This latest detection and those in an expanding area of New Haven County show how invasive this insect
can be - putting more of our ash trees at risk.” said State Entomologist Kirby C. Stafford III. “Not moving
firewood or ash is the best way to help slow the spread of EAB.”

“Now that EAB has been detected in another Connecticut county, it is more important than ever to curb its
spread and the most effective way to do that is preventing the movement of wood products out of affected
areas,” said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty. “We will continue to work closely with the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station, the Department of Transportation, and other state and local agencies to
put effective strategies in place to limit the spread of EAB and minimize the impact this invasive beetle
has on Connecticut’s ash trees.”

In addition to the established quarantine, regulations are in effect regulating the movement of firewood
from out-of-state into Connecticut or within Connecticut, including the requirement of a permit to bring
out-of-state firewood into Connecticut. These regulations were put in place to ensure that EAB and other
invasive insects are not carried into Connecticut, or spread throughout New England, through the
movement of firewood.

Detailed information about the quarantine, including its expansion, and the firewood regulations can be
found at www.ct.gov/deep/eab or www.ct.gov/caes .

The emerald ash borer is a regulated plant pest under federal (7 CFR 301.53) and state (CT Gen. Statute
Sec. 22-84-5d, e, and f) regulations. For more information about the EAB, please visit the following
website: www.emeraldashborer.info. A fact sheet providing guidelines on the treatment of ash trees to
protect them from EAB is also available at www.ct.gov/caes.

The Wasps Are Out!

The Cerceris wasps are beginning to emerge at St. Anthony's Cemetery! We hope to begin monitoring these wasps during the first week of July, after the remainder of the individuals emerge.

One of the first wasp burrows of the year

Cerceris wasps are a native genus of stingless insects that hunt for beetles from the Buprestidae family.  After finding and stinging a beetle, these wasps bring the beetle back to their burrows.  The invasive emerald ash borer is one of the wasp's prey species, so groups across North America have found it helpful to monitor Cerceris colonies in order to detect the presence of this pest.  When a wasp returns to its burrow with its prey, we net it and identify it.  This way, we can determine if the wasps are catching any emerald ash borers in the area.

As part of a statewide effort to detect the emerald ash borer, White Memorial is monitoring the Cerceris colonies at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Wamogo High School, the Morris Town Beach, and Litchfield High School.

Claire Rutledge of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is hosting a training session for volunteers who would like to help monitor the wasp colonies.  The session is scheduled for 11 AM on Tuesday, July 2 in the Ceder Room.

Emerald Ash Borer -- Early Detection Grant Awarded From Seherr-Thoss Foundations

Connecticut Towns where EAB was initially detected in 2012 (circle)
and location of White Memorial (square).  

We are pleased to announce that we were awarded monies that will be used for the construction of 15 double-decker purple prism traps over the next two summer seasons (2013-14) from the Seherr-Thoss Foundations.  These traps are used to detect Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that attacks ash trees and was recently documented in 5 Connecticut towns for the first time in July 2012.  These traps differ slightly in design from the canopy traps that have been deployed throughout the state but have been recently documented to be more effective at finer scale surveillance projects.  The traps will be deployed throughout White Memorial's property and will add to the effective detection of EAB that the state employs on the property.  In previous seasons, the statewide surveillance project deployed traps throughout the property and girdled ash trees near the campground.  White Memorial has also incorporated the used of Cerceris Wasps as bio-surveillance tool at a total of 4 colonies.  To date, EAB has not been detected at White Memorial but since the state is considered colonized, we wait for the eventual colonization of EAB throughout the state.

Cerceris Wasp Bio-Surveillance of EAB -- 2012 Season Update

We collected our 50th beetle at Morris Town Beach today!  We have met our seasonal goal for each of our 4 colonies.  If you want to continue to collect beetles, please do so when it is a good time for you.  Every beetle that we collect tells a little something about the big picture of the EAB invasion!  The wasps will be active until late-July, at least.  Please keep in mind that Erin will be transporting the beetles to Claire in New Haven on August 1.  Therefore, if you have beetles in your possession, please get them (& datasheets) to us ASAP so they don’t miss the bus.

 Another successful season and no Emerald Ash Borer!

Cerceris Wasp Bio-Surveillance for Emerald Ash Borer -- 2012 Season Update

Although catching Cerceris Wasps can be challenging,
finding a Buprestid Beetle in the net is a great reward! 

We need your help!  The more people we have at each of the Cerceris colonies, the more beetles we catch!  That’s the secret to our success, so far.  Our goal is to collect 50 beetles at each colony so that we can assess the diversity of species now.  When Emerald Ash Borer colonizes the property, not only will we lose the ash trees but we will also see changes in the beetle population, too!  More importantly though, this project is really fun!  We need your help but don’t miss out on the fun.  


We finished Litchfield P.S. Plumb Hill Ball Field today with a total of 50 beetles, exactly!  On Tuesday there were 4 of us and we caught 25 beetles in two hours.  We finished this site in just a few days because we collected 50% of the goal in one day!


St. Anthony’s cemetery has 38 beetles so far, which means one more day’s worth of work will finish it off.  We’ve had one person at this colony by themselves for 3 days.  Those individuals caught 10 – 13 beetles each day.  We've almost finished with this colony!  Can you help us finish this colony tomorrow?  

Wamogo’s colony just woke up around Monday, but we have 13 beetles collected so far.  Three people caught 13 beetles in one day!  The pitcher’s mound is the place to be at Wamogo with over 20 nests.  Then there are the other nests in the rest of the diamond!  This site could be finished quickly with just a little bit of your help!

Morris Town Beach also woke up on Monday but we have not made it to that location yet, therefore no beetles have been collected at that site.  This colony is closest to some of our best ash stands on the property; therefore it is vital that this site not get put to the last colony for the season.  We can’t miss the big push.  We need you here!  

Please be part of this project.  As you can see if you want to part of the fun, you will need to be part of it before we finish the season without you.  

Contact me to let me know when and where you want to catch wasps and collect beetles.

A Perfect Day for Cerceris Wasp Training

Claire Rutledge, an entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) led the Cerceris Wasp Workshop on Thursday, June 28^th at White Memorial. Fifteen volunteers came to the training session to learn how the Cerceris fumipennis wasp can be utilized to survey native buprestid diversity. The wasps also act as an early detection device for other invasive buprestid such as the Emerald Ash Borer. After a short introductory presentation, the group traveled to St. Anthony’s Cemetery on White’s Woods Road, where a colony of the ground-nesting Cerceris wasps were known to inhabit.

Claire Rutledge, surrounded by volunteers, placing a collar over a Cerceris wasp hole.

On a tightly packed dirt road in the back of the cemetery we were able to find many wasp holes. The goal of this project is to spot a Cerceris wasp flying back to its colony carrying a beetle as its prey. Using aerial nets we want to try to catch or startle the wasp enough to release the beetle so that it can be collected and sent to the CAES to be identified and examined. Along with the nets, collars can also be used to gather the beetles. The collar is a file card with a hole punch tacked on top of a wasp opening, the hole punch is small enough for only to the wasp to fit through forcing the wasp to forfeit its prey. This technique of robbing the wasp or selective prey removal will not significantly alter the wasp’s provisioning behavior. Cerceris wasps are most active during July and into early August, so during this time colonies must be visited as often as possible to get the goal of capturing 50 beetles. Wasp activity is greatest when there is direct sunlight, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Since the wasps are typically found on hard packed sandy soil; baseball/softball diamonds, informal parking lots, camp-sites, and road edges are excellent locations to look for a wasp colony.

Cerceris wasp hole.

Cerceris wasp caught in a net by a skilled volunteer.

Cerceris Wasp BioSurveillance for EAB Workshop

June 28, 2012

11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

A. B. Ceder Classroom

Emerald Ash Borer continues to march closer to our area.  This year EAB was documented for the first time east of the Hudson River!  Several methods are utilized to detect EAB's spread.  One method uses the native Smokey-Winged Beetle Bandit (Cerceris fumipennis) wasp.  These wasps don't sting humans and are fun to catch!  Claire Rutledge (CT Ag. Exp. Station) will facilitate our training and show you the importance of the project.  This workshop starts with introductory lecture indoors and is then followed by practicing the field techniques outdoors.  Please dress for the weather and bring water.  If you are interested in participating in this workshop please contact James Fischer, WMCC Research Director
james@whitememorialcc.org

Emerald Ash Borer Detection Efforts

Today DEEP Service Forester Larry Rousseau paid a visit to White Memorial to girdle several ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) to detect the presence of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis).

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a small, metallic green color beetle native to eastern Asia. The EAB was officially identified in the U.S. in 2002, and since has been responsible for the death of millions of ash trees. It currently is found in thirteen states and in parts of Canada. Ash trees infested with EABs are typically dead within one to three years. At this stage, the goal of USDA is not to eradicate the EAB, but to prevent additional spread throughout the entire country. Strict quarantines have been authorized to prohibit the movement of firewood out of states where EABs are known to live, as well as the transportation of firewood intrastate. 

Emerald Ash Borer
Photo by the University of Kentucky
http://www.ca.uky.edu/forestryextension/eab/EABindex.php

A technique used to indicate the presence of EABs is girdling ash trees. At White Memorial, four trees were girdled at various points around the property. Girdling is a cost-effective forestry management technique used to cut off the flow of nutrients inside an individual tree, eventually killing it. Girdling is used for this project because although EABs will occupy any Ash tree, they are most attracted to dead or dying ash trees in which to lay their eggs. When looking for the proper tree to girdle, Larry Rousseau and Lukas Hyder tried to find an intermediate size tree, with a DBH (diameter at breast height) of about 7 to 10 inches. They also wanted the ash tree to have a large canopy, reaching above most of the surrounding vegetation. Finally, it was important to locate a tree that far enough from roads and people so that if it was to fall it would not harm anyone and would remain undisturbed during the girdling process.  

Service Forester Larry Rousseau with ash tree after being girdled.

The first step when girdling a tree is to record the DBH using a measuring tape. Next, a shallow ring is cut around the circumference of the tree, which aids in the next step of shaving off the bark to the cambium layer. By the end of this stage there is an approximate 10 inch long ring of bare cambium around the tree. Tape is wrapped around the trunk to indicate that the tree is dangerous and to stay clear of it. Finally coordinates of the site are charted using a GPS. The tree will be left alone until mid-September. At that time it will be cut down, then sawed into bolts (short logs), and stripped of its bark. The logs and bark will be thoroughly analyzed to find if EAB larvae exists on the tree. If it is detected then the proper management techniques will be enacted to contain the EAB from spreading any further. Currently there is not a cure for EAB infestation, only pesticides to serve as a control measure. Therefore early detection is the obvious key factor to successfully contain the EAB.

Detecting the Invasive Emerald Ash Borer in CT: Casting a wide net!

Jenna Klinck, UCONN Natural Resource Management and Engineering student,
hoists a purple trap used to detect Emerald Ash Borer on the property.

Olfactory bait packets used to attract Buprestid beetles, which includes the Emerald Ash Borer.

Buprestid beetle (center) and other forest insects stuck to the side of the trap used to detect Emerald Ash Borer. 

Emerald Ash Borer is the latest invasive forest pest expanding to threaten New England forest trees, specifically ash species.  A cooperative team of scientists are trying to detect Emerald Ash Borer in Connecticut, including the UCONN Cooperative Extension Service, CT Agriculture Experiment Station, and CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.  The tools used to capture EAB in CT are purple traps suspended in trees along roads and looks like box kites.  There are scent packets suspended in the center of the traps that mimic the smell of a dying ash tree.  The outer surface of the traps have a sticky glue that captures the insects.  The traps are visited periodically to insure they stay in the tree canopy and to glean the glued surfaces for any insects that resemble EAB for further identification in the lab. For more information about the purple trap project click here or visit this other website for more details about the statewide effort.

Cerceris Wasp Biosurveillance of Emerald Ash Borer -- 2011 Season Review

Cerceris fumipennis with prey and Satellite Fly (Kleptoparasitic).
photo by Phillip Careless
www.cerceris.info

Cerceris wasps have finished gathering Buprestid beetles for the season.  We collected a total of 73 Buprestid beetles this season from 4 colonies.  We collected 30 beetles from Morris Town Beach ball field, 26 at Wamogo Region #6 High School baseball field, 13 at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Litchfield, and 4 at the Litchfield Public Schools Plumb Hill ball field colonies.  We observed approximately 40 nests at Morris Beach, 40 nests at Wamogo, 17 nests at St. Anthony’s, and 14 nests at Plumb Hill.  It was a very successful season this because we established our procedures and created a solid baseline of Buprestid beetles species before the Emerald Ash Borer colonizes the state.  This project was supported by several volunteers this year including Madeline Bove, Amanda Downey, Frank Errico, Ryan Gannon, Nicki Hall, Marcus Johansson, Nicole Morin, John (Jack) Nelson, Carol Perrault, Henry Perrault, Olivia Scott, and Rebecca Solnit.  Claire Rutledge, Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station Entomologist, is our state sponsor/facilitator. 

Thank you Claire for extending your leadership with this project, it’s a worthwhile program.  

Cerceris Wasp Biosurveillance of Emerald Ash Borer -- 2011 Initial Results

Cerceris fumipennis with Emerald Ash Borer
Photo by Phillip Careless
www.cerceris.info

It was a great day of catching Cerceris Wasps and collecting Buprestid Beetles at Morris Town Beach Ball Field.  Olivia Riccio and Becca Solnit helped capture 16 beetles in 1 hour and 30 minutes.  There were a total 36 nests in this colony.  The weather was mild at approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit, mostly cloudy sky, and a gentle occasional breeze from the southwest at 0 to 2 mph.

Cerceris Wasp Biosurveillance of Emerald Ash Borer -- 2011 Initial Results

Locations of Cerceris Wasp colonies (Red Markers) used as biosurveillance tool for
Emerald Ash Borer at White Memorial Foundation, Litchfield & Morris, CT, USA.
Google Earth Image 

We identified 4 colonies of Cerceris Wasps in close proximity to the property.  The wasp watchers have been  steadily collecting beetles (42 from all of the colonies) that the wasps have been bringing back to their nests.  The wasps become active every sunny day around 11:00 a.m. EST with their orientation flights around the nest entrance.  Very soon after leaving they start bring back beetles to their nests, where the wasp watchers are waiting to catch and release the wasp unharmed but leaving a beetle in the bottom of the insect net.  The beetles are sent to our state's coordinator for this project Claire Rutledge at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

Cerceris Wasp Field Trip Results

White Memorial staff, interns, and volunteers

gathered around a Cerceris Wasp colony at

St. Anthony's Cemetery on White's Woods Rd.

On Thursday, 7/7/2011, 9 White Memorial staff, interns, and volunteers took a field trip to St. Anthony's Cemetery on White's Woods Rd. in Litchfield to learn more about Cerceris Wasps from Claire Rutledge of the CT. Agricultural Experiment Station. James Fischer had previously located a small colony of these wasps here, so it provided an ideal setting to learn more about them. We found 13 holes in the hard-packed soil along a little-used dirt driveway. These wasps seem to prefer hard soil over soft. The photo below shows a wasp peeking out of its hole.

The photo below shows a typical Cerceris wasp

hole with a pile of course-grained soil around it.

Cerceris wasp carrying its Buprestid beetle prey
by Floyd Connor from www.cerceris.info

Claire supplied us with nets, collecting bags, hole collars, and other equipment that we can use to steal Buprestid beetles from the wasps when they return to their burrows with these prey items. The primary goal is to monitor for the non-native, invasive, and highly destructive Emerald Ash Borer beetle, which is in the Buprestid group, and which is readily captured by these wasps in the Great Lakes states. They haven't been found yet in Connecticut, but this is a relatively easy way to monitor for their presence.