The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the New York State Department of Agriculture (NYSDA) has announced that a new effort will be underway in the upcoming months to contain and eliminate trees that have been infested by the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). Due to the discovery of a new infestation of the ALB in August of 2013, a federal and state quarantine is in effect from West Farmingdale and Massapequa to Babylon, and as far North as Melville.
In an effort to prevent further infestation and contain the beetle, trees along the Southern State Parkway between Bethpage Parkway and Belmont Lake State Park will be removed starting in late June/early July. The USDA has committed funding for replanting of non-host trees along the parkway and in other areas of Long Island where infested trees have been removed. Once all of the removals have been completed along the parkway, state and federal officials will make every effort to replant as soon as possible.
For further information, please contact the Asian Longhorned Beetle Cooperative Eradication Program office at 631-598-5943.