Traps have been set up in Bracebridge as officials prepare for the arrival of the emerald ash borer in Muskoka.
The traps were set up on Monday in the hopes of detecting the invasive metallic green emerald ash borer as it moves north after damaging ash trees throughout Barrie.
“These traps are more for catching the attention of the public. We felt that there has been a very low level of awareness in the general public,” said Rebecca Ferguson, a stewardship technician with Muskoka Conservancy. “Most of Muskoka’s Ash trees will soon be dying,”
The insect is metallic green in colour and is about one centimetre long. The insect lays their eggs on the trees and when they hatch the offspring kill the ash by feeding on the inner bark, which cuts off water and nutrient flow. The insect was first spotted in Windsor and Detroit in 2002.
“The adult beetles can borer underneath the bark of trees and once they`re cut down they can remain in the trees over winter for up to two years,” says Allison Winmill of BioForest Technologies. “So if we move this fire wood up to our cottage country, then we`re worried that the beetles will be present in that fire wood and then emerge and start infecting our trees.”
For resident with ash trees on their properties, a public meeting is scheduled to take place at the Bracebridge Sportsplex on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.
