LONGVIEW — Before you squash that weird-looking bug, local scientists are asking people to check if it’s one of a handful of invasive species that may be on the move.
Washington State University Master Gardener Alice Slusher said that “citizen scientists like you and me are the ones that have reported some of the problem ones before” they become widespread, so participating in the National Tree Check month is important.
“The Invasive Species Council website is amazing, so get in there and look at all the priority insects,” Slusher said. “Some are here and we know they’re here, and some aren’t, but it’s a fun hobby.”
State officials are asking people to check trees, lights, outdoor equipment and standing water in their yards for harmful bugs.
Slusher said that water sources such as dog bowls, pans of water for chickens, or light fixtures are places bugs are attracted to and sometimes die in, making them good places to survey what insects are around.
For trees, look for signs of burrowing insects, such as trails in the wood or unusual damage.
“The Washington Invasive Species Council is concerned right now mostly about ones that we don’t know are here yet,” Slusher said. “It is important to find these things for the Invasive Species Council.”
The top species the council is concerned might be in Cowlitz County, but have no reported sightings yet are the emerald ash borer, the spotted lantern fly, and the Asian and citrus long-horned beetles, she said.
Emerald ash borers are found in ash trees and make “V shaped holes like a big smile” when they exit the tree, Slusher said.
“I lived in Ohio up until 10 years ago, and 15 or 16 years ago they talked about the emerald ash borer,” she said. “It’s a beautiful little bug, a half inch long, emerald green and iridescent … It attacks only ash trees and by the time I left (Ohio) I was seeing some damage. The ash trees are all gone now, every single ash tree, and they really don’t want that to happen here.”
The spotted lantern fly would also “devastate our parks and possibly the forest industry,” Slusher said, along with the citrus long-horned beetle, as they both damage or kill trees.
Public engagement specialist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture Karla Salp said that having people check their yards regularly “plays a critical role in protecting Washington’s unique environment from the destruction that invasive pests can cause.”
“Alert residents can help spot infestations when they are easy to handle,” Salp said. “This not only saves time and money, but more importantly, significantly limits the damage that invasive pests cause to our gardens and yards, local and national parks and farms and forests.”
There are 13 priority invasive insects in Washington, according to the Washington Invasive Species Council website. Included among them are the Emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, onion lead miner, Japanese beetle and the apple maggot.
Some, such as the brown marmorated stink bug, already are established in Cowlitz County. Others, like the scarlet lily beetle and Asian giant hornet, have been found in Washington, but not yet recorded in Cowlitz County.
Anyone who finds a suspected invasive insect should take a picture and report it via the Washington Invasive Species Council app or website. The council then will connect residents with organizations that can help.
If the suspected invasive insect is alive, take a photograph and submit a report with details. If it’s dead, place it on a white background such as a paper towel or piece of white paper, put a coin next to the insect for size reference and take a photograph.Put the insect in a ziplock bag in case entomologists ask for it to be mailed to a lab for identification.
