Why US Government Has Released Millions Of Parasitic Wasps
- 8 years ago
The U.S. government has released millions of parasitic wasps in an effort to slow the advances of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle which is blamed for the deaths of millions of ash trees across the country.
U.S. agencies are attempting to fight an invasive insect with other insects.
The Guardian is reporting that millions of parasitic wasps have been deployed in 24 states to try and reduce the population of emerald ash borers; these pests are blamed for killing around 38 million ash trees and costing more than $29 million a year in control efforts.
According to the USDA, tree deaths are caused when ash borers’ larvae feed in a tree’s cambial layer, a central place for new wood and “nutrient and water transport."
To combat the problem, the agency decided to turn to some of the beetles’ natural predators from Asia.
These parasitic wasps are able to sense t
U.S. agencies are attempting to fight an invasive insect with other insects.
The Guardian is reporting that millions of parasitic wasps have been deployed in 24 states to try and reduce the population of emerald ash borers; these pests are blamed for killing around 38 million ash trees and costing more than $29 million a year in control efforts.
According to the USDA, tree deaths are caused when ash borers’ larvae feed in a tree’s cambial layer, a central place for new wood and “nutrient and water transport."
To combat the problem, the agency decided to turn to some of the beetles’ natural predators from Asia.
These parasitic wasps are able to sense t