Ash Borer Article from the NYTs

[Tom Rankin]

Interesting information.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/science/13beetle.html

 

[peakbagger]

The last bit of road prior to the Togue Pond Gate at Baxter State Park in Maine has several ash borer traps. I suspect they are as much a means of reinforcing the reason for the ban on wood imports into the park as much as they are intended to trap Ash Borers.

 

[Little Rickie]

Resistence is futile.

What ever happened as a result of the invasasion of the gypsy moth?

 

[Tom Rankin]

The last bit of road prior to the Togue Pond Gate at Baxter State Park in Maine has several ash borer traps. I suspect they are as much a means of reinforcing the reason for the ban on wood imports into the park as much as they are intended to trap Ash Borers.

The traps are not meant to eradicate the pest, just to alert the monitors that the pest has made it to the area.

 

[JacobH]

Resistence is futile.

What ever happened as a result of the invasasion of the gypsy moth?

According to wikipedia. This happened:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_moths_in_the_United_States


If anyone has driven through Snow Shoe, PA on I80, it's a rural and beautiful place that is being destroyed by moths


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Gypsy_Moth_Defoliation_Snow_Shoe_PA.jpg

(Not linking that image because it's ~2 screens wide.)

As for the Ash Borers, we noticed some of these purple things hanging up at the picnic area along side Rt4 in Nottingham NH. My friend and I were wondering what they were. I guess the news is not good.

 

[Little Rickie]

According to wikipedia. This happened:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_moths_in_the_United_States


If anyone has driven through Snow Shoe, PA on I80, it's a rural and beautiful place that is being destroyed by moths


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Gypsy_Moth_Defoliation_Snow_Shoe_PA.jpg

(Not linking that image because it's ~2 screens wide.)

.

We were hit hard by gypsy moths in upstate NY and my brother in Wyakusing Pa. Many years later I haven't witnessed any damage that nature didn't repair. This looked bad for a year or two and then we went back to normal, whatever that was. You could hear the bugs munching on leaves and their poop fell like rain out of the trees they were eating but we survived. Still got them I thing but natural preditiors keep them under control.

 

[peakbagger]

Gypsy moths usually have a short term impact as they impacts the leaves which cuts back on the amount of energy the tree can store away for winter. Healthy trees can survive them normally, although some parts of the Shenadoahs had major mortality 20 years ago. When ash borers move into an area its close to 100 percent Ash tree mortality. The natural predators never have a chance to react before all the trees are dead.

Gypsy Moths are affected by a fungus which requires a certain set of climatic conditions during a specific part of the gypsy life cycle. It doesnt happen everywhere every year but it has helped.

 

[audrey]

I have to include the winter moth in this discussion, as it's had a major impact in some parts of Massachusetts. We have to have our two huge maples sprayed and a Japanese maple too, as it would be a tragedy to lose them. The males fly during the winter, and on a warmish night I don't dare go out the back door. They are reportedly found in SoNH but not further north. At least they're not chewing yet where we hike the most.

 

[Little Rickie]

When ash borers move into an area its close to 100 percent Ash tree mortality. The natural predators never have a chance to react before all the trees are dead..

No disrespect to the Ash tree but if that is true then and something else will take it's place. Life will go on.

 

[JacobH]

No disrespect to the Ash tree but if that is true then and something else will take it's place. Life will go on.

My wife and I agree. We discussed the same thing last night. How many hundreds of millions of years has life taken courses that I'm sure were very similar to this? Species come and go, humans eventually too . It's sad, but unfortunately I don't think we really have a chance against these beetles. And even if we did, should we try to prevent it? Maybe a speedy evolution will take place, or more hardy ash varieties will survive?

Semi-related:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/110217-hudson-river-pcb-fish-evolution-water/

 

[rdl]

There will be a tremendous cost to municipalities that have Ash tree lined streets. The city of Rochester, NY estimates it will cost $1000 per tree to remove each Ash tree from its' city streets as they become infested and ultimately die. I've heard varying reports of the cost to treat the trees and whether that is more cost effective than removal.

It will be disappointing to see Ash trees die throughout the region, I have many Ash trees on my property -- but I have 13 acres and when the Ash trees die I'll take them down and use for firewood. I don't have to worry about them falling down and landing on my house, car, etc...

 

[Little Rickie]

There will be a tremendous cost to municipalities that have Ash tree lined streets. The city of Rochester, NY estimates it will cost $1000 per tree to remove each Ash tree from its' city streets as they become infested and ultimately die. ..

That seems ridicules. I hope it's not true. Bureaucracy or political cronies?

How many Ash trees does Rochester have?

 

[Little Rickie]

That seems ridicules. I hope it's not true. Bureaucracy or political cronies?

How many Ash trees does Rochester have?

Well I'll be.....

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...01/109060324/City-has-treated-4-300-ash-trees

 

[audrey]

Species come and go, humans eventually too .

There are likely many biological dependencies that human beings don't even know about. The loss of ash trees may precipitate the loss of other species, animal or vegetable.

Too bad we're learning so late that diversity is a good thing and that our plantings should be varied to help mitigate what is happening now. In Mass. we invested in non-native Norway maples now vulnerable to several insects; years ago we had overplanted elm trees that have mostly succumbed to Dutch elm disease...

 

[Little Rickie]

The natural range of the emerald ash borer is eastern Russia, northern China, Japan, and Korea.

Anyone know how they delt with it or the long term after affects? I bet they still have a lot of trees of some kind.

 

[DougPaul]

Anyone know how they delt with it or the long term after affects? I bet they still have a lot of trees of some kind.

In many cases, the damaging organism is not a serious pest in its native range.

The native ranges of invasive exotics often include natural predators that keep their populations under control. Also, hosts tend to evolve defenses to them over time.

These massive destructive infestations tend to occur in situations where an exotic organism is transported to a previously unexposed population of susceptible hosts. Since they have no predators and lots undefended hosts, their populations can explode...

Humans also tend to plant monocultures whereas natural populations are often dispersed. The dispersed populations tend to be more resistant to attack.

Doug