April 25, 2000 / Reuters
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Agriculture Department was cited as saying Tuesday
that healthy trees in some residential neighborhoods and public areas in
Chicago and New York will be treated with an insecticide to control the
spread of the destructive Asian long-horned beetle.
The story notes that the discovery of the invasive beetle in both cities has
alarmed U.S. officials, who have been forced to remove more than 4,300
infested hardwood trees in New York City and 1,200 in the Chicago area.
The USDA said it would try to stop the spread of the beetle by injecting
small amounts of the insecticide known as imidacloprid into the trunk or
soil of healthy trees surrounding infested areas. The same chemical is
commonly used in flea treatments for household pets and is safe for humans,
the USDA said.
(posted without permission)
