If you happen to be driving through Ludlow and spot a triangular purple box hanging from the branch of an ash tree, it’s not the result of a Covid-19 regulation. It was placed there by Bob Brandt, a member of the Regional EAB Resource Committee (REREC). EAB stands for the emerald ash borer. These traps are installed to catch the EAB beetle that is inching its way into the area, killing ash trees and causing infested towns and property owners large expenses to remove the infested trees.
The traps, secured through state agencies dealing with forestry matters, will alert REREC to the presence of the EAB beetle. The beetle, when it finds an ash tree, will lay its egg underneath the bark of the tree. The resulting larva then proceeds to destroy the tree.
Ludlow will soon begin a process of inventorying ash trees in public areas. This inventory will then become the basis for planning on how to deal with this crisis. For information on EAB, call 802-228-7239.
