The following is a Release from the U.S. Forest Service and Nevada Division of Forestry regarding a new pest found in firewood in southern Nevada. This pest will leave the firewood and may attack pine trees in southern Nevada, in particular Mondale and Aleppo pines. From the sound of it, infested firewood was brought in from California into southern Nevada. If you think you have purchased some of this wood please contact the Nevada Division of Forestry for more information about what to do.
Goto Nevada Division of Forestry Contact Information in Las Vegas
Goto Nevada Division of Forestry Contact Information in Las Vegas
I
was alerted by Jeff Knight from NDA that the Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus
erosus (Wollaston), has been positively identified from two locations in
southern Nevada. One site was near Blue Diamond and the other was a firewood
distributor in Las Vegas. The identification was confirmed by Jim LaBonte
of the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. The beetles were trapped in Lindgren
funnels with ethanol and alpha pinene as lures. This represents the first
record of this beetle in the U.S. outside of California. The beetle
appears to very aggressively attack stressed trees and rarely attack healthy
trees. The suspected host near Blue diamond is Pinus monophylla,
no suspect in for the Las Vegas site yet. Attached is the USFS Pest Alert
for the beetle. Further investigation of these sites will take place in
early Jan. to determine possible hosts and entrance into Nevada. At this time
NDA will not pursue any regulatory/quarantine actions, but will be working on
educational information on the insect.
was alerted by Jeff Knight from NDA that the Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus
erosus (Wollaston), has been positively identified from two locations in
southern Nevada. One site was near Blue Diamond and the other was a firewood
distributor in Las Vegas. The identification was confirmed by Jim LaBonte
of the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. The beetles were trapped in Lindgren
funnels with ethanol and alpha pinene as lures. This represents the first
record of this beetle in the U.S. outside of California. The beetle
appears to very aggressively attack stressed trees and rarely attack healthy
trees. The suspected host near Blue diamond is Pinus monophylla,
no suspect in for the Las Vegas site yet. Attached is the USFS Pest Alert
for the beetle. Further investigation of these sites will take place in
early Jan. to determine possible hosts and entrance into Nevada. At this time
NDA will not pursue any regulatory/quarantine actions, but will be working on
educational information on the insect.