The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority and the Canadian Forestry Service (CFS) are teaming up to try a new approach for dealing with the emerald ash borer beetle.
John Enright, UTRCA forester, explained in a statement, “This year, the CFS is releasing a non-native parasitic wasp for control of emerald ash borer at four locations in Ontario and one in Quebec. One of the sites chosen is a 20-year-old ash plantation at Wildwood Conservation Area near St. Marys.”
The non-stinging wasp is native to China and will only attack emerald ash borer beetles.
The UTRCA says a female wasp can determine where an ash borer larva is feeding inside the ash tree and they lay her eggs in the larva, then when the wasp larvae hatch, they feed and develop in the ash borer larva, resulting in its death.
The wasp can complete multiple generations each year and 130 adult wasps can emerge from one emerald ash borer beetle larva.
The wasps are being provided free of charge by a USDA lab - to date - the USDA has released the wasp in 14 states.
Learn more about the approach here:
