Nature & Outdoors
Bug Alert
A larva of a tree-killing beetle was found in Cranston last week in a shipment of firewood from Worcester. The perp, known as the Asian Longhorned Beetle, is an exotic pest that threatens a wide variety of hardwood trees in North America, including maples, boxelder and willows. The entire city of Worcester has been designated an official Regulated Area, which is essentially prohibits the transport of any tree matter out of the city limits.
Rhode Island environmental officials are asking residents not to transport firewood from other states – in order to limit the spread of the beetle.
Official USDA advice on Asian Longhorned Beetle control, hosted by the RI Natural History Survey.
Info from the University of Vermont.
Common beetles that look like the Asian Longhorned Beetle, but are OK.
Info on the Worcester outbreak.
Image courtesy of the US Department of Agriculture.
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Tuesday January 26, 2010
The Pontiac Secondary Bike Path and Its Place in the Solar System
The proposed Pontiac Secondary Bike Path would arc from Cranston to Warwick along an abandoned Providence and Worcester freight rail bed. Currently the trail is shrouded in Japanese Knotweed and tall grass, but it has the potential to connect to the planned South Elmwood Bike Path in Eastern Cranston, and... more
Monday December 21, 2009
Snow
Weather, darkness and whatnot Saturday night’s instant 14.5 inches of snow at TF Green was the most for any day in December since records began. Providence only averages 36 inches of snow a year, so we can break it down in two ways: either we’re almost halfway done with this... more
Thursday October 15, 2009
Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change
To mark Blog Action Day, here’s the Nature Conservancy’s Carbon Footprint Calculator. The calculator will estimate how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your lifestyle choices create each year. Don’t lie about your burger habit. Photo by David Shankbone
Friday October 9, 2009
Learn to Identify the Asian Longhorned Beetle
Almost one year ago, a larva of one of these exotic bugs appeared in some Cranston cordwood shipped from Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester has long since been under quarantine to keep these pests from spreading to other parts of the region, and the Cranston larva almost got away. Meet the Asian Longhorned... more
Thursday September 10, 2009
Your Noisy Neighbors
So if you live anywhere near a tree, a garden or a patch of grass, you probably hear what reminds you of a soundtrack to a jungle movie outside your window. They’re bugs, and they’re great. They really get rolling in the humid August weather and then crescendo towards the end of the month. You possibly also hear your actual neighbors. They’re not in this guide.
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