Trees Feared To Have Been Infested

Tree shows exit holes and egg-laying sites made by the Asian longhorned beetle. The holes are usually perfectly round and smooth and 3/8-1/2 inch in diameter. The egg-laying sites are 1/2 inch wide with pits dug in bark. The start is usally orange and then fades to brown.

Officials are planning to open a facility in Jamaica Plain this month to deal with trees feared to have been infested by the Asian longhorned beetle or its larvae.

The site will be available to trained landscape contractors who want to properly destroy trees they suspect are carrying the insect. The move comes after six trees on the grounds of the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain were found in July to have been invaded by the insect.

Those trees were cut down and processed through a wood chipper, which authorities say is the only way to halt the spread of the insect. The Faulkner discovery was the first time Asian longhorned beetles were found outside Worcester County, which has been fighting the insect since 2008 by removing and processing 25,000 trees at a cost of $50 million.

Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., Commissioner of the Department of Conservation & Recreation for Commonwealth of Massachusetts with Tree Committee members Sandy Hering and Elaine Botelho at the Tree City USA

''Establishing this processing site is an important step in our efforts to stem the spread of this destructive insect,'' DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. said in a statement.

He added, ''material brought to the site will be ground into small chips as a precautionary measure to prevent any Asian longhorned beetles or their larvae from surviving in the wood. We will work with the community to keep noise levels as unobtrusive as possible.''

The Boston wood chipper site at the MBTA's Arborway yard near the Route 203 overpass and the West Roxbury courthouse. Once open, it will operate Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Officials will be aware to noise complaints from neighbors, officials said.

To report suspicious tree damage or for questions on other ALB issues, calls can be made to the toll-free Asian longhorned beetle hotline at 866-702-9938.

Information on training for landscapers is available at the state website.