Emerald ash borer first detector: A volunteer early detection programme

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) is a serious forest pest in the United States and its range is expanding. In June 2008, emerald ash borer was confirmed in six US states. As of July 2009, it was confirmed in 13 American states, including Minnesota. Detecting its presence early in an infestation will allow forest managers more management options. University of Minnesota Extension partnered with Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the United States Department of Agriculture Federal National Plant Diagnostic Network, to develop the Emerald Ash Borer First Detectors Programme to help identify the first incidence of emerald ash borer in Minnesota and each Minnesota county. First Detector volunteers are one of the first lines of defence against the establishment of emerald ash borer in Minnesota by helping to identify the first occurrence of emerald ash borer. They can visit properties, collect and safely mail samples to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, collect seed for genetic conservation, and help educate and inform the public about emerald ash borer. In 2008, 180 First Detector volunteers state-wide were trained in six full-day workshops to identify emerald ash borer and the signs and symptoms of an emerald ash borer infestation. In 2009, the First Detector programme was broadened to include three additional forest pests: gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar Linnaeus), Asian longhorned-beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky), and Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio Fabricius). In 2009, programme organisers trained 233 individuals in the Forest Pest First Detector programme.