Invasive insects are a worldwide scourge. Now, they could be coming to a tree near you — and that could have profound implications for urban areas.
, a beetle that originated in Asia and was first identified in the United States in Michigan in 2002. Their larvae take up residence beneath ash bark, sapping the trees of their nutrients and killing them. They spread with firewood and nursery trees, and they will make up 90 percent of the tree losses.Maple and oak, the other most abundant street trees, are also at risk from pests such as San Jose scale and Japanese beetles.
Travel, trade and shortsighted planting all put street trees at risk. The more street trees are affected, the more urban trees will die, too: The researchers project an additional 100 million could go within the next three decades. The cost will be tremendous, the researchers write; they project $30 million in management costs each year. And they note that even more risk could come from insects that aren’t here yet.