Insects from Abroad - Part One

In October, Missy Henriksen of Pest World wrote an article on invasive pest species. Over the next few blogs I am going to share highlights of her article with you.

Insects of foreign origin, commonly called invasive species, are a growing concern in our country. Many of these invasive pests do not have natural predators in the U.S. so their populations can grow quickly.

A number of invasive pests, including some beetles and moth species, pose a major threat to the U.S. agricultural industry as they destroy crops. In fact, the Associated Press, citing a 2004 Cornell University study, put the total annual cost of all invasive species in the country at $120 billion. According to the AP, “much of that burden is borne by consumers in the form of higher food costs and by taxpayers who pay for government eradication programs.”

Those of you living in Worcester County are familiar with the Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive wood-boring insect, that attacks hardwood trees, including maple, birch and elm.

 If you're concerned that you have invasive insects in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control
1-800-400-6009
A Central Massachusetts Extermination and Pest Control Company
Worcester County Pest and Rodent Exterminators
www.davespestcontrol.net Reference: www.pestworld.org

Bugs That Lurk In Imported Plants

The following information comes from an article written by Deborah Weisberg for the environment section of The New York Times.

Exotic pests found in imported nursery stock poses an increasing threat to the environment. The hemlock wooly adelgid, which has turned woods from green to brown in many areas of the United States arrived several decades ago on a single hemlock imported for a Virginian's Japanese-style garden. And as news accounts in Massachusetts have covered, emerging threats, like the Asian longhorned beetle, are presenting new headaches.

The federal Agriculture Department, which is responsible for inspecting imported plants, says that the sheer volume arriving from offshore makes inspection of each one impossible. The International Plant Protection Convention recently advised signatory countries to be more vigilant about the health of plants traded on the global market. However, a comprehensive, integrated approach would most likely take years, if not decades.

Dave's Pest Control
1-800-400-6009
A Central Massachusetts Extermination and Pest Control Company Worcester County Pest and Rodent Exterminators www.davespestcontrol.net