The emerald ash borer is now found in the St. John Valley and in York County. Beetle larvae feed under tree bark, pupate overwinter in the wood, and the tiny adults emerge in spring, leaving D-shaped exit holes.
Invasive forest pests like the emerald ash borer and the hemlock woolly adelgid are already having devastating impacts on Maine’s forests; the browntail moth is affecting human health as well as tree health; the Asian long-horned beetle, with a large host range, could be the next invader on the horizon.
On Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, Hildy Ellis, of Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, will present a program about these invaders at Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust’s Round Top Farm, at 3 Round Top Lane in Damariscotta.
Using slides and an outdoor tree-ID walk, this workshop will help landowners and users, as well as landscape and forestry professionals, learn to:
· identify current and potential invasive forest pests and their host species
· understand the threats to local forests and woodlands posed by these pests
· limit their spread
· report suspected pest sightings or damage to trees that may be a result of pest infestations
All participants will receive an information packet with fact sheets about the major pest species, a list of host trees that the species may be found on, how to make decisions about treatment, current quarantine information for the emerald ash borer in Maine, and other relevant information.
Pesticide applicator recertification credits (2.0 hours) have been confirmed by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control for this program; professional continuing forestry education credits by the Society of American Foresters, category 1-CF: 2.0, are pending.
More information about invasive forest pests in Maine can be found at maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/index.htm.
For more information and to RSVP for this free workshop, visit knox-lincoln.org/invasive-forest-pests, or contact Julie at 596-2040 or julie@knox-lincoln.org.
