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Protect Our Nation’s Trees this Summer. Take a Break, Enjoy the Shade, and Give 10 Minutes Back to Nature
TV, Radio and Print PSAs Urge Public to Look for Signs of Asian Longhorned Beetle
Help stop the Asian Longhorned Beetle by looking for and reporting signs of its infestation. Learn the signs at AsianLonghornedBeetle.com Tweet
PR Newswire, Washington, D.C. (August 12, 2015)
A vastly changing landscape would certainly capture one’s attention. The nation’s trees face an immediate threat from the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), a devastating invasive pest with no natural predators. With up to 70 percent of the U.S. tree canopy at risk of being lost to this pest, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is spreading the word about the beetle this summer with a series of TV, radio and print public service announcements (PSAs).
The adult Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is active throughout the summer months and into the fall. This invasive pest was first discovered in the U.S. in 1996, likely arriving here unknowingly inside wood packing material from Asia. The insect threatens recreational areas, forests, and suburban and urban shade trees. The beetle attacks 12 genera of trees, including birch, maple and elm. It is truly a landscape-altering invasive pest. And all states are at risk.
Residents of New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio know this pest all too well. More than 130,000 trees combined have been lost in these states due to the ALB.
Early detection is critical in stopping the spread of this invasive pest. USDA urges the public to take 10 minutes while enjoying the outdoors this summer to take a closer look at trees. Whether you’re out for a walk, hiking, camping, or hosting a barbecue in the backyard; keep your eyes peeled for the ALB or signs of its destruction.
Signs of damage from the ALB include:
- Dime-sized (one-fourth inch or larger), perfectly round exit holes in the tree
- Oval depressions on the bark where the eggs are laid
- Sawdust-like material, called frass, on the ground and the branches
- Sap seeping from wounds in the tree
The ALB can be unknowingly spread by the movement of infested firewood. USDA officials recommend that you buy and burn firewood at your destination and purchase it locally.
The best defense against the ALB is an active effort to spot signs of the pest and its damage. PSAs are being distributed to media outlets nationwide today. While USDA has designated August as Tree Check Month, officials hope that the public will look for signs of the ALB and report any suspicions throughout the summer and into the fall. The TV, print, and radio PSAs are relevant anytime this summer through late fall as homeowners begin yard cleanup for winter.
For more information visit www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. To request PSA materials visit https://asianlonghornedbeetle.com/psa-materials-request/.
Media Contact:
Tom DiBacco
[email protected]
202-420-0593
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