Bedford and Katonah Pool Owners Wanted For Invasive Beetle Research

Officials want pool owners across New York State to join the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s fourth annual Asian longhorned beetle swimming pool survey.

Now through Aug. 30, residents can help the DEC keep a lookout for these exotic, invasive beetles before they cause serious damage to local forests and street trees, according to a press release.

Originating in Asia, these beetles are believed to have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of trees, according to the release, across the nation, including places like New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Chicago, Illinois, Worcester, Massachusetts and Clermont, Ohio, all places with a heavy maple tree population.

The DEC’s Forest Health Program was developed to track the beetles’ whereabouts, and specifically reaches out to homeowners with swimming pools who are willing to keep an eye out.

“Pool monitoring offers a simple, economical alternative to traditional procedures for surveying ALBs in the state,” the release says. “It also has the potential to become New York’s most effective method for detecting ALBs. In addition, this monitoring program gives residents the ability to take an active role in protecting trees in their yards, communities and forests.”

Reaching out to citizens directly allows for new infestations to be found early on, and it also helps the DEC and other state and federal agencies eliminate current infestations.

Don’t have a pool?

You can still help by expanding the search area outside of poolside areas, and by submitting photos of suspected beetle sightings to the forest health program email address.

This survey takes place around this time every year when the Asian longhorn beetles are expected to reach adult age, emerge from the trees and become active in the area.

Directions for participating in the pool survey:

Step 1: Starting in the last week of July, through the last week of August (when adults are active), at least once a week, or when you clean your pool, check the debris collected in your filter and skimmers.

Step 2: Look for the ALB (See what it looks like on DEC’s ALB web page). Contact the Forest Health Program (see phone number and email address below) and we will provide a sheet to help identify insects collected.

Step 3: Take a picture of any insect you think might be an ALB.

Step 4: Send the photos of the insects that look like ALB to foresthealth@dec.ny.gov.

Step 6: Freeze the insect in a plastic container until DEC staff respond (typically that will be about a week). Staff will either instruct you to discard the insect or give instructions on mailing it, delivering it, or arranging for pick-up.

For more information on ALB and the Pool Survey, visit DEC’s website.

To sign up for the survey, contact:

NYSDEC Forest Health Program

Attn: Jessica Cancelliere

E-mail: foresthealth@dec.ny.gov

Phone: 518.478.7813