DALTON, MASS. -- The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that has destroyed millions of trees in North America since being accidentally introduced from Asia, has been identified in Massachusetts for the first time, state officials said yesterday.
The beetle, named for its bright green color, was found in Dalton, a town in Berkshire County in western Massachusetts.
The borers are thought to have been introduced to North America in the 1990s, probably in wood packaging from eastern Asia, and were first discovered in Michigan and Ontario in 2002.
Massachusetts is the 18th state to confirm sightings of the beetles. They also have been found in Ohio.