The emerald ash borer, a highly destructive invasive beetle, was first confirmed in Canada in 2002. (Submitted/Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
A highly destructive invasive beetle which attacks and kills ash trees has landed in southern New Brunswick.
The emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Oromocto, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
“CFIA and its partners are conducting additional surveys to determine whether the pest has become established in the area, and if so, the extent of the spread,” said the agency Wednesday.
The movement of all ash material from the affected site — such as logs, branches, and all species of firewood — is restricted. Property owners in the affected area have also been notified.
It is not the first time emerald ash borer has been detected in New Brunswick. The beetle was previously reported in Edmundston, about 300 kilometres north of Oromocto, in 2018.
The emerald ash borer, a highly destructive invasive beetle, was first confirmed in Canada in 2002. (Submitted/Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Native to China and eastern Asia, the beetle was first confirmed in Canada in 2002 and has since killed millions of ash trees across North America.
The CFIA said the emerald ash borer is not a risk to humans but poses a “major economic and environmental threat to urban and forested areas” across the country.
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