Invasive Species Resources

The emerald ash borer is a half-inch long metallic green beetle with the scientific name Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Larvae of this beetle feed under the bark of ash trees. Their feeding eventually girdles and kills branches and entire trees. Emerald ash borer was first identified in North America in southeastern Michigan in 2002.

On Aug. 9, 2011, the department in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Penn State Cooperative Extension confirmed the presence of Thousand Cankers Disease in black walnut trees in Bucks County. Since this pest complex cannot be eradicated in Pennsylvania, and since black walnut is of high value to the forest products industry and to forest and urban ecologies, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is joining with state and federal agencies and Penn State Cooperative Extension to slow the spread of TCD in the state through monitoring and quarantine. For more information or to report a possible case of Thousand Cankers Disease on walnut please contact your Pennsylvania local county cooperative extension office or contact the Invasive Species Hotline at 1-866-253-7189 or Badbug@pa.gov.