A List
10/11/10

SLU Offering Presentation On Emerald Ash Borer

CANTON - Cornell University Forest Entomologist Mark Whitmore will give a presentation on the emerald ash borer on Wednesday, October 20, at 6 p.m. in Bloomer Auditorium, Brown Hall, at St. Lawrence University. The event is open to the public, free of charge.

The emerald ash borer is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species. It is an invasive non-native insect, first detected in New York State in 2009, that is capable of killing an infected tree within a five-year period. Ash trees comprise about 7 percent of New York State's forests.

Whitmore will discuss the potential danger to trees in St. Lawrence County; where it has been observed in New York State; when it is predicted to arrive in St. Lawrence County; and may be done to prevent or minimize its impact. He has been studying forest insects for over 30 years, and focuses on native and non-native insects that kill trees. Whitmore has conducted research on adelgids, as well as bark- and wood-boring beetles and their biological control.

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