“This is my work alone. I have not gotten any unauthorized help on this paper.”
Newhouse
Extra Credit
Invasive Species - Emerald Ash Borer
An introduced species is a species living outside of its native habitat. This species have arrived by human activity, either deliberate or accidental. Some introduced species are damaging to the ecosystem they are introduced into, some have no negative effect, and others can be beneficial. A recently introduced species to Wisconsin, is the emerald ash borer. Unfortunately, the emerald ash borer has negative effects, is invasive, was brought to Wisconsin and other states by accident, and is not welcome to the area.
The emerald ash borer is a beetle that is bright, metallic green, about half an inch long with a flat back. It has purple abdominal segments under its wing covers. The emerald ash borer can fit on the head of a penny, and is hard to spot in the wild. The emerald ash borer is native to northern China and Korea. It can also be found in eastern Russia, Japan, and Mongolia. It is believed the emerald ash borer traveled to the United States by stowing away in some wood packing material. It can be found in the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Unfortunately, other states can be at risk. The beetle has also has been found in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. “Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002.” (1). It also spread to many other areas of the Unites States.
The real problem with the emerald ash borer is the larvae. Like many insects, the emerald ash borer has four distinct life stages: adult, egg, larva, and pupa. Its larvae cause the damage to ash trees. They do this by tunneling into the bark of the tree. As this is done, it cuts off the...