Purple traps that have been hanging from trees in the county since May as part of a study have collected the invasive insect.Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service hung the traps to study the number of the exotic beetles in the county. The traps are lined with glue and baited with manuka oil, which attracts nearby Emerald Ash Borers.
The beetles were detected in the purple panal traps, according to Purdue University entomologist Jodie Ellis.
"We were not surprised to find the beetles, but it helped assure us they were in Kosciusko County and we can begin efforts to keep them from spreading," Ellis said.
She said the insect goes into hibernation at the end of July and comes back in May.
There were 15 traps hung from ash trees at three sites in the county in May. The traps will be taken down this month.
The latest find was detected near Warsaw in Plain Township, which is now under quarantine. The quarantine means that no regulated ash products, including ash nursery trees, ash logs and all types of hardwood firewood, can be transported out of the township.
In addition, all of Kosciusko County is under quarantine. Ash products may move within the county, but not outside it.
Kosciusko County is the 18th Indiana county with confirmed Emerald Ash Borer infestation. Kosciusko is part of a cluster of counties in the state's northeastern corner now under quarantine.
Other quarantined counties include Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Hamilton, Huntington, LaGrange, Marion, Noble, Porter, Randolph, St. Joseph, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, White and Whitley.
More information about Emerald Ash Borer, including quarantines and identification materials, can be found online at entm.purdue.edu/eab or by calling 866-663-9684.
