MONTREAL - The dreaded emerald ash borer - an Asian insect that has been devouring ash trees in North America since it was discovered in Michigan in 2002 - has come to Montreal.
The insect has been discovered in trees at the corner of Notre-Dame East and Haig in the east end of the city, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The beetle has already wiped out many ash trees in Ontario and the USA and is considered a threat to forests.
The strategy to combat the spread has been to avoid transporting infected ash wood to a place where it can afflict more trees.
The bug cannot hurt humans but scientists say that it cannot be eradicated.
In Quebec it is already present in Carignan, Chambly, Richelieu, Saint-Basile-le-Grand and Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu. In those places people are prohibited from moving ash trees in the form of nursery stock, trees, logs, branches or bark.
