Researchers on brink of stopping tree-eating beetles
By Abby Hobbs, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Emerald ash borers are infesting states across the country, and they’re on their way to Utah, officials said.
But researchers at BYU study may have found a way to eliminate the problematic pests.
The emerald ash borer was originally discovered in Michigan in 2002 and since has killed more than 50 million ash trees. Since entering Colorado in 2013, threats for the beetles moving to Utah have increased.
BYU researchers looked at beetle visual systems and found that the emerald ash borer and its relatives are unique in that they can detect blue light. The researchers say the findings could help insect prevention specialists find solutions to slowing the spread of emerald ash borers and even eliminating them altogether.