Agriculture Officials Warn About Asian Longhorned Beetle

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Vermont is facing threats from invasive species in water and on land. We’ve been hearing this week about threats to the Lake Champlain food chain from the spiny water flea. Sen. Patrick Leahy is even calling for a closure of the canal linking the Hudson River and the Big Lake to prevent the species from entering Vermont.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing a warning about the Asian Longhorned Beetle, an invasive insect that poses a serious danger to Vermont’s maple trees, among others.

VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb speaks with Rebecca Blue, Deputy Undersecretary with the Dept. of Agriculture. Blue says the beetle hasn’t been found in Vermont yet, but apparently it’s close enough to be of concern.

You can learn more about how to report a beetle sighting in Vermont on the USDA’s website here.

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