Texas marks the 26th state the invasive beetle has been found in since 2002.
The emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive species of beetle responsible for killing tens of millions of ash trees across the country, has made its way to Texas, federal and state officials confirmed Monday. In May 2016, the U.S. Forest Service and Texas A&M Forest Service trapped four adult beetles in Harrison County, just south of Karnack in northeast Texas. Lab results confirmed those beetles are emerald ash borers, which can kill ash trees within three years of infestation.
The beetle is a native to Asia but turned up in the United States in Michigan in 2002. Since then, it has been found in 26 states including Arkansas and Louisiana.
“We are the 26th member (state) of a club nobody wants to belong to,” said Shane Harrington, forest health coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Texas officials have been anticipating the beetles’ arrival for years, setting traps across the state to provide an early warning.
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