MOUNT VERNON — Adult Emerald Ash Borers prefer purple.
That’s why the Ohio Department of Agriculture has hung about 7,500 purple traps in ash trees across the state of Ohio to track the spread of the parasitic insect. Several of the traps have been hung in Knox County.
“Researchers developed the traps and a lure that attracks adult beatles,” said Cindy Brown, a spokeswoman for the ODA. “This is the first time these traps are being used to track the population of the Emeral Ash Borer.”
The triangular traps are about 1 foot wide and 2 feet long. They’re coated with a glue-like substance and pose no risk to humans, wildlife or pets.
ODA workers are hanging the traps at roughly 1.5-mile intervals. The majority of the traps will be concentrated in the southeastern and far northeastern portions of the state, where the Emerald Ash Borer has yet to be detected.
“The traps are designed to capture adult beatles, which fly between the months of May and September. Our technicians will check the traps throughout the summer months, and they’ll take them down in the fall for inspection,” Brown said.
The Emerald Ash Borer is an ash tree-killing beatle native to Asia. It first appeared in Ohio in 2003.
The insect poses a serious threat to Ohio’s more than 3.8 billion ash trees. The ODA and other organizations have battled the spread of the insect, which has already infested ash trees in nearly three dozen Ohio counties. It has not been found in Knox County, but has been found in nearby Delaware and Franklin counties.
