Sep 29, 2008 7:31 pm US/Eastern
Beetle Infestation May Be Worse Than First Thought
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
The battlefront to combat and control
Asian Longhorn Beetle in and around Worcester has been expanded by federal, state and local officials.
Before Monday, the beetle invasion discovered in
Worcester last month had led those officials to quarantine 33 square miles centered in north Worcester along with parts of Holden, Boylston, West Boylston and Shrewsbury to prevent transport of infested tree limbs and thereby beetles.
The destructive beetles threaten billions of dollars in damage to lumber, maple syrup, tourism and related industries not to mention shade trees. They target maples and other hardwoods.
Now that two more infested areas have been found, the regulated area has nearly doubled to 62 square miles, including the entire city of Worcester and an additional part of Shrewsbury south of Route 9, west of Lake Street.
Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien says, "it does not mean that our entire city is infested with the Asian longhorned beetle. It just goes back to that same idea of control systems to make sure we don't see further spread through movement of woody materials."
Contractors who remove trees must be trained, certified and comply with established disposal procedures at a designated site on Ararat Street.
Citizens are required to drop off wood waste at a designated site on Clark Street.
Infested trees will be removed by officials after the first hard frost. Host trees (potential targets not infested) will be chemically treated by the U.S.D.A.
The expansion of the regulated area was announced following discovery by citizens and confirmation over the weekend of four trees with egg-laying scars and one exit hole in the Franklin Street-Harrington Way neighborhood and egg-laying scars on two trees in the June-Mill Street neighborhood.
No beetles were found at those sites.
Tom Denholm of the U.S.D.A. says, "somebody could have driven through an infested area and picked up a beetle. It would seem to be a little farther than we would guess for normal movement of the beetle by itself."
The city manager says expansion of the quarantined area is expected to increase cost of eradication which is estimated at $17 to $24 million in the first year of what is projected to be a five year program.
O'Brien says he and Congressman Jim McGovern have been given assurances the federal government will cover the first year costs.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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