Gov. Eric Holcomb
has proclaimed this week, April 8-12, as Invasive Species Awareness Week in
Indiana.
Consider the
proclamation as an important reminder for Hoosiers to watch for potentially
devastating pests.
“There are several
invasive species causing significant damage to Indiana’s natural resources
at this time” said State Entomologist Megan Abraham, director of the DNR
Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology. “Emerald ash borer, Callery pear,
gypsy moth, kudzu, hydrilla, and purple loosestrife, to name a few.”
Abraham added that
several more invasive species are close enough to Indiana’s borders to
concern Hoosiers. One is Asian long-horned beetle (ALB), which has been
found as close as Cincinnati.
ALB attacks
hardwood tree species. It has the potential to cause significant economic
and environmental impacts if allowed to establish and spread throughout the
United States. ALB has been confirmed in Bethel, Ohio, near Cincinnati.
Signs of ALB start to show about three to four years after infestation. Tree
death occurs in 10 to 15 years.
Adult beetles are 1
to 1.5 inches in length with long antennae. Their bodies are black with
small white spots, and their antennae are banded in black and white. A photo
and more information are at dnr.IN.gov/entomolo/4527.htm
Adults can be seen
from April to December. Trees with round exit holes, approximately 3/8 of an
inch in diameter, are signs of ALB presence. Sawdust-like material can be
found at the trunk and branch bases of infested trees. Signs of ALB start to
show about three to four years after infestation.
“It’s the species
that we have not spotted in Indiana that we need help from the public to
keep an eye out for,” Abraham said. “Watch local forests and natural
resources for signs and symptoms of trees or vegetation dying off for
seemingly no reason.”
Abraham noted that
the DNR would rather answer a call, inspect an area and find nothing to
worry about than find out after the fact that someone had spotted a problem
and failed to report it.
If you see an ALB
or signs of it, call the DNR at (866) 663-9684 with the date and location.
If you can capture the beetle, put in a plastic jar and put it in a freezer
to kill it. Members of the public may report invasive species to the DNR
through the Report IN website eddmaps.org/indiana/ or by downloading the
Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN) app on a smartphone.
For more
information on all invasive species that could affect Indiana and ways to
help stop their spread, see dnr.IN.gov//3123.htm