Ash borer boxes back

They're baaaack!
Those purple triangular boxes are popping up again on trees in selection locations throughout the county. Last summer, the boxes were a hot topic of conversation as local folks wondered what they could possibly be before the truth was uncovered-they're bug traps.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and Fairfax County, is once again using the traps as part of a statewide survey to determine the extent of areas infested with the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).
According to the Department of Conservation, an EAB is a small, non-native beetle first noticed in the United States in Michigan in 2002. A native of Asia, the beetle's larvae kill ash trees by feeding on the inner bark and disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients.
The VDACS believes the beetle was accidently introduced to the United States through wood packing materials from Asia.  Since it was first discovered in 2002, the beetle has killed at least 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. The beetle appeared in Virginia in 2003 at an elementary school in Fairfax County. Unknowingly, infected ash trees that were sent from a nursery in Michigan had been planted at the school. To prevent the beetle's spread, all ash trees within a half-mile radius were cut down and chipped.
Since then, ongoing surveys have been conducted to detect the beetle and they usually turned up negative. But in 2008, the beetles were detected again at multiple sites in Fairfax County, resulting in the issuance of a quarantine for the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William, plus the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. The quarantine prevents firewood, ash trees, green (non-heat treated) ash lumber and other ash wood products from being moves outside those areas.
The good news is that last year's survey showed no spread of the pest. According to Elaine Lidholm, director of the VDACS Office of Communication, 3,274 traps were set statewide, with the majority placed in the quarantined counties. Only 14 of the traps tested positive for EAB, all of which were located in Fairfax and Arlington.
Now the VDACS is at it again to determine the extent of infested areas. For this year's survey, approximately 4,000 traps will be installed throughout the state. They have already been spotted throughout the county, including at the intersection of Rts. 3 and 20.
The traps are easy to identify. They are purple triangular boxes, 14 inches by 24 inches in size. They are baited with natural plant oils to attract the beetles and a non-toxic glue to trap them once they are lured in. According to Lidholm, scientists will check the traps periodically to ensure proper placement, replace the lure and collect specimens. The traps will be removed at the conclusion of the survey.
According to VDACS Commissioner Todd. P Haymore, the EAB problem is one that is not only harmful for the trees, but also for those that relay on them for sustenance.
"EAB has already killed millions of ash trees in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio and we are aware of several infestations in Northern Virginia," he said at the start of the first statewide survey. "The damage caused by this invasive insect can mean the loss of millions of dollars for homeowners, landowners, nursery and forest products industries. It is extremely important to track the progression of EAB in order to alert localities to its possible spread which will help in making management decisions. If we can determine its spread, it will help unaffected localities develop options for the management of this destructive pest."
As of June 2, the Emerald Ash Borer has been detected in 14 states, including Virginia and Maryland, and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the survey program or the Emerald Ash Borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info.