Purple Boxes in the Trees, How Many Boxes Do You See?
Have you noticed purple boxes like this in your neighborhood? If you live in East Tennessee there's a good chance you HAVE noticed them. It's pretty obvious they've been put there to catch something. Maybe it's another research project.
This IS a research project trying to trap the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The EAB is a nonnative beetle responsible for killing millions of ash trees in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. The project is aimed at seeing how many of these bugs are infesting our area and what their range is. Tennessee marks the southernmost point.
The USDA and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture have teamed up to place 4,500 boxes within a 50 mile radius of the first sighting.
You may ask, "why purple"...good question. The EAB is attracted to objects with a purple/red hue. The box has a sticky substance on the outside to catch the little fellow if he gets to close.
Don't worry. The traps won't be around forever. They're scheduled to be removed in August.
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