This newsletter brought some bad news to the United States. The authors, collaborators from America, Canada, Slovakia, and China, worked together to identify a new insect found in Michigan in June of 2002. When researchers observed some ash trees were declining, they noticed the "D"-shaped holes in the bark and the cambium-killing larvae tunnels.
Quickly identifying the beetle was not possible. There are more than 2,000 species in the Agrilus family, so it wasn't until July 9th, when the specimens where shipped to Eduard Jendek, a specialist in Asian Agrilus, that the bug was positively identified at Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (2). Shortly after, the Michigan Department of Agriculture started enforcing quarantines in infested counties. Meanwhile, Canadian authorities had found a similar beetle, it wasn't until August 7th that it too was confirmed as the same insect (2). At this point, researchers estimated the insect had been established for five years (4)!!!
This article provided great insight on the process of determining a new species in an environment. When an animal breaks through to a new boundary or region, it can easily be identified. Not so with small insects who come from wide families and get carried on shipping containers.
When the insect was identified, the researches took votes on what to call it. They wanted to make sure the media didn't name the insect (1). Oregon Department of Agriculture's Richard Wescott and Natalia Vandenburg of the USDA suggested the name Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Votes were tallied and a new acronym was born (1).
The taxonomy section mentioned that the beetle goes by other names as well.
Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (1888; type China) has several synonyms, including A. marcopoli Obenberger (1930; type China), A. marcopoli ulmi Kurosawa (1956; type Japan), and A. feretrius Obenberger (1936; type Taiwan) (Jendek 1994). EAB is referred to as A. marcopoli in much of the Chinese literature and as A. marcopoli ulmi in Japan. Based on the morphology of the scutellum, deep pronotal medial sulcus, and robust body, A. planipennis appears most closely related to the Asian species A. auristermum Obenberger, A. cyaneoniger Saunders, and A. lubopetri Jendek (2).
I didn't know this was allowed in the world of entomology—it certainly makes things confusing. But I can understand why it would be very difficult to streamline names across cultures, especially when one culture has completely adapted a name. I wonder then, do other countries refer to EAB by these other names still? Or has the new concern in the West changed the way people refer to it? I looked at Eduard Jendek's website later and found nearly 100 varieties of insects named after him.
EAB, though new, is not alone as an foreign Agrilus. The authors list six other exotic members of the Agrilus family established in the United States (4).
The native habitat is described as Northeastern China, Far Eastern Russia, and Taiwan. The authors say only two Asian research articles were found on the bug, one from 1986, one from 1992 (2). Hacket, et al. provide a synopsis of these studies and describe other upcoming studies from Michigan (2). Significant early timetables provide a step-by-step retelling of the early infestation and where the beetles in the same family had been found at points of entry, although it was implied the ships were from China and Japan, the authors show it needed more study (4).
To conclude, the authors warn readers with a level-headed use of emotional language. Resources are said to be "at risk," because the wherever the insect moved, it "successfully attacked." The result could be "considerable economic and environmental damage." Therefore, "A vigorous research and management program along with harmonized quarantine actions are urgently needed to contain this new exotic tree pest" (5).
