Invasive, tree-killing beetle discovered in Delaware

(AP) – A destructive, invasive beetle that kills certain trees has been detected in Delaware.

State Plant Industries Administrator Dr. Faith Kuehn tells local media that a single emerald ash borer was recently caught in a trap in an ash tree in New Castle County. The beetle has recently been found in neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Maryland.
 
As a result, Delaware will be added to a federal quarantine area banning the import of living trees, compost and other wood products. The emerald ash borer is most often transported across state lines in untreated firewood.
 
The insect only infests and kills ash trees and a close relative, the white fringetree. Kuehn says statewide impact is expected to be minimal, since ash trees only make up two percent of trees in Delaware.