BOSTON (AP) — An invasive and destructive beetle has been found at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
State officials say it’s the first emerald ash borer to be detected in Suffolk County.
The small, green beetle is native to Asia and was first discovered in North America more than a decade ago. It feeds on ash trees, often killing the trees within three to five years.
The emerald ash borer was previously detected in Berkshire and Essex Counties.
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Jack Murray said the beetles represent a serious threat to ash trees and action has been taken to contain them.
Those steps include a ban on bringing firewood into state parks and forests and placing quarantines in areas where the ash borer has already been discovered.
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