Jonathan Lelito (USDA APHIS PPQ) also describes the emerging national biological control program currently being undertaken by USDA APHIS.  ASETS researchers are currently funded to work on aspects of both the management of ash mortality and the biological control of this forest pest. Visit our project profiles of both SLAM (Slowing Ash Mortality) and MapBioControl.

This video was produced by the MSU Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.

• Tracking EAB Parasitoids
• Hopeful Emerald Ash Borer News
• emeraldashborer: What’s That Pink Dot? Oak Forest, IL, Marks Trees Infested with Emerald Ash Borer for Removal: http://t.co/RjpVxYpC

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has secured more than $1 million dollars in federal funding for competitive grant program targeting the 58 communities effected by the EAB infestation in Illinois. Below are a couple of quotes from the official press release from the office of Sen. Durbin:

[CHICAGO, IL] – Municipalities across Chicagoland will receive much needed federal assistance to manage and recover from the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today. More than $1 million in federal funding is being distributed to fifty-eight communities in Illinois through a competitive grant program spearheaded by the Morton Arboretum and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC). The funding was made available through the US Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and a Durbin-authored provision in the 2008 Farm Bill.

“The Emerald Ash Borer infestation crosses multiple city boundaries, meaning solutions should be addressed on a regional basis. This funding is crucial to preserving the quality of life in our region by helping local governments replace infested trees and restore diminished tree canopy.

• Durbin: House Republican cuts to Great Lakes funding would hurt Asian carp prevention efforts
• Gadi Reddy Wins USDA Competitive Funding
• EDITORIAL: Restore Great Lakes funds

Here are some links to currently available information regarding BMSB:

• Press release from the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
• A fact sheet from MSU field crop entomologist Chris DiFonzo and insect diagnostician Howard Russell.
• An article by MSU fruit entomologists Anne Nielsen, Matt Grieshop and Larry Gut.
• A fact sheet from the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center.

ASETS researchers and developers are working to add pests such as Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Spotted-winged Drosophila to the invasives reporting system of the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. MISIN is currently being coordinated by ASETS with collaboration from the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.

• Herbert Webcast on Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
• The Plague of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
• Michelle Meck Does Stink Bug Radio Interview

Emerald Ash Borer Adult

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday, July 27th the first detection of emerald ash borer in the State of Tennessee. This discovery was made the week of July 19th at a truck stop in Knox County near the Loudon County line.

Read the official news release by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The current status of positive finds of EAB in the U.S. can be seen on the APHIS quarantine map. ASETS is currently cooperating in a multi-partner effort to research the slowing the spread of EAB in the U.S. Visit the SLAM project website at http://www.slameab.info.

Below is a map showing the location of Knox County. The find here is interesting due to the fact that it seems to be disconnected from the larger EAB population. The next closest positive EAB finds have been in north central Kentucky and south central West Virginia.

Knox County, Tennessee

• New York State Emerald Ash Borer Detection
• Hopeful Emerald Ash Borer News
• emeraldashborer: Chicago Emerald Ash Borer Central: Spring 2011: EAB News: http://t.co/H6L1D2k

Manuel (left) was recently interviewed for an article in The State News (read here) on the development of a new website highlighting his research. The site, MetroInvasive.info, provides visitors with maps of areas at high risk to the introduction for AIS.

From the MetroInvasive website:

MetroInvasive provides:

• A perspective that considers urban areas as hubs of human-mediated invasions in natural and managed ecosystems.
• Resources to enhance our understanding of the role of international trade in the dissemination of invasive species.
• Information to identify hot spots for human-mediated invasions where early detection strategies could be implemented.

• In a globalized world, are invasive species a thing of the past?
• Is free global trade too great a threat to food supplies, natural heritage and health?
• Competition with humans responsible for decline of New Zealand’s endangered sea lions, study shows

Here is a description of the finds from the official NYSDEC press release:

The Steuben County discovery occurred on July 12 when a state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) staff member inspected one of the state’s EAB purple traps. The traps are sticky and contain a chemical lure that attracts adult EAB. The detection was confirmed this week by Cornell University. The Ulster County discovery occurred on July 15 when a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) staff member checked a federally-deployed EAB trap and the specimen has since been confirmed by APHIS. Each EAB trap had one confirmed EAB specimen.

Here is what NYS officials plan in response to this latest EAB find:

A cooperative effort among USDA, New York State, Cornell and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry will conduct a thorough delimiting survey of trees to assess the extent of beetles in both areas. Information from this survey will help determine the response strategy.

The New York Invasive Species Council and DEC’s Office of Invasive Species Coordination were established in 2007 to help detect new invasive species outbreaks and rapidly respond to such incidents. Further follow-up to slow the spread of this very destructive forest insect will depend on funding made available. New York is working with state and federal legislators and agencies to inform them of the recent finds and the urgent need to identify additional funding sources to address these new occurrences.

Read the full NYSDEC press release and for additional information on EAB you can visit http://www.emeraldashborer.info/.

• emeraldashborer: New Weapon in Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Detection Found in Illinois:http://t.co/xuyPz5G
• emeraldashborer: Illinois emerald ash borer quarantine expanded; now includes 40 percent of the state.: http://t.co/HxwfuQtu
• Emerald Ash Borer in Tennessee

Gabriel and Travis are doing their usual excellent job.

• Getac Setup Begins
• Invasive eelgrass doesn't follow the usual invader's script – KPLU News for Seattle and the Northwest
• An Update For Geodata.gov/GOS Publishers About Data.gov

• Emerald Ash Borer Most Destructive Forest Pest
• Understanding the Life Cycle of the Emerald Ash Borer
• Hopeful Emerald Ash Borer News

GeTac Master

Let the setup of the GeTac units for the SLAM project begin!

Travis Perkins begins the process of assembling the GeTac field kits for distribution to the three SLAM project sites.

We first had to charge the 25 units and that took all the strip outlets we could borrow.

Then it was onto the assembly line:

1. Unpack
2. Cut foam for case
3. Label all parts
4. Insert SD card
5. Attach stylus wrist strap
6. Configure wireless
7. Install ArcMoblie
8. Download SLAM project data
9. Test
10. REPEAT 24 Times

• Hopeful Emerald Ash Borer News
• Emerald Ash Borer in Tennessee
• Asian clam clearing begins in Lake George – Glens Falls Post-Star

Even though their aim was to cast this funding in a negative light – Anthony enlightens Mr. Carlson and Fox viewers as to the importance of a collection such as this and the scientific role it plays.

• 1,200 Speak Up for Agricultural Research Funding
• Zolnerowich and Team to Create Insect Museum
• ESRIUC Video – Concept Total Station on a GPS Pole