4/8/2016
Scott Myers, Entomologist
USDA-APHIS-PPQ
Center for Plant Health, Science and Technology
Buzzards Bay, MA
USDA Otis Laboratory – Buzzards Bay, MA
Mission: Develop, refine, and transfer technology to APHIS
Areas of Research:
Insect Rearing
Biological Control
Pesticides
Molecular Diagnostics
Trapping and Survey
Phytosanitary Treatments
export
import
domestic movement
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AGRICULTURE ENFORCEMENT ALERTS: April 8, 2011
Atlanta: Agriculture Canine Intercepts Prohibited Fresh Herbs with Actionable Pest (Miridae) in
Shipment of Personal Effects
Baltimore: Two Passengers found with Bush Meat in Luggage
Prohibited Chicken Feet and Beef Meat from China found in Passenger Baggage
Diptera Larvae Detected in Pumpkins from Costa Rica
Boston: Prohibited Fruit, Plant Products and Propagative Material
El Paso: Live Baby Alligator Discovered
Houston: Global Entry Participant found with Undeclared Pork Meat
Laredo: Platypodidae sp., an Actionable Pest, Found In Marked Wood Packaging Material
Chrysobothris sp., a Quarantine Pest, Intercepted on Marked Wood Packaging Material
New York: Pork found Concealed in Metal Cans
San Diego: Prohibited Fruit Concealed in Bags of Seeds
Soil and Citrus Contamination on Recyclable Plastic Scrap Shipment
San Francisco: Sixth Khapra Beetle Interception with Indian Rice
Live Khapra Beetle Intercepted in Personal Effects Suitcase
Fresh Mangoes with Anastrepha sp. from Mexico via Express Mail (04/03/11)
Fresh Mangoes with Anastrepha sp. from Mexico via Express Mail (04/04/11)
Cerambycid Larva Intercepted in Marked Wood Packaging Material from Spain
San Juan: Three Separate Cut Flower Shipments found Infested with Actionable Insects
(Thrips, Noctuidae, Tortricidae, Aphidae)
Wood boring beetles in solid wood
packing material stamped as
treated (heat or methyl bromide)
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Port Interceptions Project
o Collaboration with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)
o Collecting live wood borers from the ports as they are
intercepted
oRearing larvae to adults to identify unknown species
o Expanding DNA database for identification of immature
insects
o Documenting pathways, wood types, treatment facilities
and insect species to evaluate efficacy of treatments
currently in place and reduce the number of interceptions
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Recent Forest / Tree Invasives
Emerald Ash Borer
Asian Longhorned Beetle
Redbay Ambrosia beetle
Winter Moth
Gold spotted oak borer
Sirex noctilio
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Walnut twig beetle
Asian Longhorned Beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis
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Asian longhorned beetle larvae
Asian Longhorned Beetle – Preferred hosts
Common Name
Genus
Notes
Maple, boxelder
Acer
All U.S species – Japanese maple
rarely attacked
Horsechestnut, buckeye
Aesculus
Several US records, some heavily
infested
Birch
Betula
Apparently less preferred than
maple
Poplar
Populus
Favorite in China, few US records
Willow
Salix
Weeping, pussy and white highly
favored
Elm
Ulmus
Less preferred than maple
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4/8/2016
Asian longhorned beetle finds in the U.S.
1996 – NYC/Long Island area, NY
– ongoing, populations greatly reduced
1998 – Chicago, IL - eradicated
2002 – Jersey City, NJ - eradicated
2004 – Middlesex / Union County, NJ
– last detected in 2006
2007 – Staten Island, Pralls Island, NY – ongoing
2008 – Worcester, MA – ongoing
2011 – Bethel, OH – heavy infestation - ongoing
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Worcester, MA: ALB Infestation 2009-2010
Worcester, MA 2010
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Wood‐boring wasp of pines native to Europe, Near East, and North Africa
Not a pest in its native habitats
Pest of exotic pine plantations in the Southern Hemisphere
Only Sirex species that attacks relatively healthy pines
Green Triangle outbreak – Australia 1988
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galleries
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Dark-brown to
black spine
protruding from
tip of abdomen
3 – 7 instars
Larval
development
can last from 10
months to 3
years in nature.
larval galleries
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
Usually one year life cycle

Adults emerge June to September and live 2 – 3 weeks.

Females drill holes in trees and insert
o
Toxic mucus and a symbiotic fungus, Amylostereum areolatum.
o
Eggs if the tree is suitable.

The mucus and fungus kill the tree.

Sirex egg hatch is stimulated by the fungus and larvae feed on fungus.
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Proportion of Total Trap Catch
4/8/2016
0.50
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
2007
2008
2009
2010
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
Cumulative Degree Days (Base 6.8 ºC)
Survey and trapping research in
NY and PA
Evaluate trap types and lures
Determine seasonal flight
periods and Degree day models
Woodwasp
(Sirex noctilio)
Nematode
(Beddingia siricidicola)
Fungus (Amylostereum areolatum)
Tree (Pinus species)
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Potential: pine resources in the eastern US
Approximate current
Sirex distribution
Forest type groups
Pine
Spruce-fir
Oak-pine
Deciduous
Non-forest
Water
Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis
Discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002.
Likely in Michigan 10+ years before it was detected
Larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability
to transport water and nutrients
Tens of millions of ash trees killed
200 Million Elm trees killed by Dutch Elm Disease
7.5 Billion Ash in US threatened by EAB
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Natural Spread:
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Difficult to Detect

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Adults are strong fliers
Population can move at least 750 m in one year
low density infestations
Artificial Spread: 


Firewood
Logs Nursery stock
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Regulatory: maintain quarantine compliance
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Outreach: firewood inspections, signage, web site, early detection and public awareness, “The Green Menace”, etc.
APHIS Treatment Research for Wood Products
Fumigation –
Efficacy of Methyl bromide and MeBr alternatives
Wood penetration of fumigants
Conventional Heat Treatment –
developing heat treatments standards for firewood
evaluation of ISPM-15 standard on invasive insects
Microwave / Radiofrequency –
Development of treatments for wood packing
ISPM – 15 approval (for international trade)
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4/8/2016
Treatment for firewood in
EAB quarantine adopted
by APHIS – Feb 2011
(T-314-a)
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4/8/2016
Temperature data
loggers used to verify
treatment schedules
Firewood producers
required to monitor
temps and maintain
records for each run
Kilns used for Heat Treatment of Firewood
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4/8/2016
Hot Water Treatment of Veneer Logs for EAB
180+ °F core temperature
Walnut twig beetle,
Pityophthorus juglandis
Photo: Jim LaBonte
Photo: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Tree killing canker Geosmithia morbida
Photo: Bud Mayfield
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Widespread throughout the Western U.S.; first detected in the Eastern U.S. in Aug 2010
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Walnut twig beetle is native to Southwestern US and Mexico, host Arizona walnut, Juglans major 2011
2010
forestthreats.org
Thousand Cankers Infestation: Knoxville, TN
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4/8/2016
Infested walnut log sections
fumigated to develop treatment
for export and domestic
movement
Treated log sections evaluated
separately for survival of
pathogen and beetle emergence
Emergence Containers for Walnut Twig Beetle
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4/8/2016
Steve Fraedrich, USDA Forest Service
Early results indicate fumigation was not effective at 4.5°C at
schedules tested. Some 15.6°C treatments were effective.
E. Peachy et al., Colorado State Univ. 2011
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4/8/2016
Emergence of walnut twig beetle and persistence of Geosmithia
fungus in felled logs left outdoors in Boulder, CO
E. Peachy et al., Colorado State Univ. 2011
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How long does fungus persist in cut logs
Are non-infested logs susceptible to attack
post-harvest
Other vectors
Management options to mitigate risk of
spread?
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Contact Info:
Scott Myers
Entomologist
USDA-APHIS-CPHST
scott.myers@aphis.usda.gov
(508) 563-9303 x259
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