Ironrock Landscaping in conjunction with the University of Maine Master Gardener program will offer an Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) outreach presentation August 18, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, located on 407 Wilton Rd (Rts 2&4) in Farmington, Maine. It is important to inform Maine’s citizens about the impact the Asian Longhorned Beetle, which has already been positively identified in Worcester, Massachusetts, could have on Maine’s environment and economy.
Richard and Janet Plouffe have undergone the intense training offered by the Department of Agriculture in Augusta and are eager to share with the public their knowledge about this destructive insect. Information will be shared along with various handouts about the positive identification of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Following this session, the general public will then feel more qualified to obtain specimens in order for them to be positively identified. Specimens can be brought to the University of Maine Extension office located at their new address at 138 Pleasant Street in downtown Farmington.
The Department of Agriculture is sponsoring 2 surveying events on Aug. 27th in Portland and Sept. 3 in Bangor. The surveying efforts will be in residential neighborhoods surrounding working harbors since that is the most likely point of origin. I am glad to see events like this getting exposure. We have setup a press site with more information to help writers get the word out. http://www.mainealbpress.org. Thanks for your attention to this potentially devastating bug.