Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit
Project Number: 8010-30400-001-041-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 15, 2026
End Date: Jul 15, 2027
Objective:
Emerald Ash Borer is one of the most destructive invasive pests of North American ash (Fraxinus spp.) in United States. The primary purpose of this agreement is: (1) to collect, recover, and rear adults of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipenis) as hosts to support research on introduced biocontrol agents (parasitoids) and (2) to determine the establishment and diversity of both introduced and native parasitoids recovered from emerald ash borer-infested ash trees collected at various sites in Oregon.
Approach:
Each year in winter (December - February), early spring (March - April) and fall (October - November), ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees with symptoms (e.g., bark splits, woodpecker feeding damage) of emerald ash borer infestations will be located and felled from various forest sites in Oregon (4 – 6 trees per site, 4 - 6sites). GPS coordinates for all felled trees will be recorded. Felled trees will be cut to 1-meter long logs and transported to Oregon Department of Agriculture North Valley Complex, Wilsonville, OR where they will be stored at 1 – 4 oC in a cold box. After a minimum of one month of low temperature storage (to break the beetle and parasitoid) diapauses, logs will be then be incubated in environmentally controlled room at ~28 oC for beetle production and parasitoid recovery. Emerging beetles and associated parasitoids will be monitored two to three times a week. While living beetles will be counted, collected and shipped to ARS Newark insect containment facility for use in rearing the introduced biocontrol agent, any parasitoids emerging in association of emerald ash borer-infested ash logs will also be numerated, collected, and vouchered for identification.