Farmingville, NY - Supervisor Ed Romaine is asking Brookhaven Town swimming pool owners to participate in the annual New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) “Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Swimming Pool Survey.” The goal of the survey is to locate infestations of these invasive pests before they cause serious damage to trees throughout the Town. Asian Longhorned Beetles are most active during late summer when they emerge from their host tree as adults. The DEC is asking pool owners to periodically check their filters for insects that resemble Asian Longhorned Beetles and report then by emailing photos to foresthealth@dec.ny.gov or mailing insects to the DEC's Forest Health Diagnostics Lab at 108 Game Farm Road, Delmar, NY 12054, Attn: Liam Somers. Residents who do not own a pool can also participate.
The invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle is approximately 1.5 inches long, black with white spots, and black and white antennae. They have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of trees across the country. Although the Asian Longhorned Beetle has been successfully eradicated from parts of Long Island, it is still active in Brookhaven Town as well as other locations. For more information about the ALB Swimming Pool Survey and Asian Longhorned Beetles, visit the DEC's website.
Supervisor Romaine said, “If not kept under control, the Asian Longhorned Beetle could be as devastating as the Southern Pine Beetle, which has destroyed thousands of trees on Long Island. If we don’t get ahead of this problem now, it could have disastrous consequences on the local environment and wildlife. I thank the DEC for initiating this program to help preserve the trees in the Town of Brookhaven.”
Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738