What are Those Purple Boxes?

Don't be too baffled—they are not some new type of cubic, exotic fruits.

Boxes with a purple hue have been popping up in trees in various locations along local roadsides in the past few weeks. 

But, just what are these puzzling containers, and what is their purpose?

According to a notice affixed to one local box, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is conducting a study to track the infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in local populations of Ash trees and the boxes act as collection containers for the pesky bug. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Emerald Ash Borer is a small, but destructive beetle. Even though it only measures ½-inch by 1/8-inch, it packs a punch.

As with many other insects and invasive plants, this pest most likely arrived in some sort of wood packing material or other product imported from abroad. The beetle is native to China and eastern Asia, and may have gone undetected for up to 12 years before it was discovered by the USDA in 2002. 

Entomologists have learned that the beetle likes a temperate climate, and it is possible for the beetle to develop from an egg to adulthood in as little as one year. 

After the female lays the eggs in the bark of the tree, eggs hatch in 10 days, and wormlike larvae make tunnels under the bark and feed on the tree causing irreversible damage. 

After laying dormant over the winter, the larvae emerge from their host trees in the spring as adults. On their exit from the tree, they leave a “D” shaped hole. 

So far, the beetle has been discovered in 13 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Certain areas of Canada are also home to the beetle. 

Because the beetle has been responsible for the demise of millions of Ash trees, the current study is under way to detect their presence and to act on it to prevent further infestation. 

Since it is very difficult to determine early on if a tree has been invaded by the beetle, the purple traps will be able to easily detect if they are in the area.  

Observant homeowners can sometimes see the early symptoms of the presence of the beetle—dead branches near the top of an Ash tree; errant, leafy shoots that grow out of the lower trunk; exit holes of the beetle in the shape of a “D”; tunnels in the wood in the shape of an “S”; and woodpeckers riddling the tree. 

At the present time, the only way to eliminate the beetle and stop the spread is to remove the infected trees and to dispose of them—which could prove costly and unpleasant to homeowners. 

Pesticides can be used to control beetles, but it is not a cure. Infected trees, even if they are treated, will most likely die. 

In addition, people have been unknowingly spreading the infestation by moving lumber, chips, firewood, nursery stock, logs, etc. Many states are instituting a quarantine to prohibit the movement of Ash trees and their products to help stop the spread of the beetles. 

Several guidelines do exist for controlling the spread of Ash borers, and those include the following:

- Buy local firewood, burn it locally, and do not move firewood.

- Homeowners should inspect all Ash trees for possible infestation  and contact the state for advice.

- Keep abreast of state and federal regulations regarding EAB.

- Inform neighbors and friends about EAB.

- When purchasing new nursery stock, find out its origin.

The EAB hotline for Pennsylvania is 866-253-7189.