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Houston County Trees Quarantined For Ash Borer

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Apr 22, 2009 4:56 pm US/Central

Houston County Trees Quarantined For Ash Borer

ST. PAUL (AP) ― State agriculture officials fearing the spread of a highly destructive tree pest have quarantined wood and tree products in Houston County.

The move on Wednesday came after the discovery of the emerald ash borer just across the Mississippi River in Wisconsin.

The tiny, metallic-green beetle could devastate millions of ash trees in adjoining areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

While Agriculture Department officials say they haven't found the borer in Minnesota, they say the bugs are probably here because of the extensive infestation across the river.

Minnesota has about 900 million ash trees, the second highest number in the nation after Maine.

The beetle larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding inside the tree.

Information from: Star Tribune

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