What is that purple thing-a-ma-jig in the tree?

Mountain Brook residents might have seen some peculiar-looking purple traps hanging high atop ash trees throughout the community. The “thing-a-ma-jigs” as they have been referred to, are no cause for alarm, said Jeff Head, the USDA State Plant Health Director in Alabama. The purple contraptions are traps, he said, aimed at helping the U.S. Department of Agriculture in surveying for an invasive pest — the emerald ash borer beetle — in the community.

The EAB, he said, has killed tens of millions of ash trees in 25 states across the nation, but thankfully, has not been detected in Alabama. EABs however, can be found in several of Alabama’s neighboring states. The exotic beetle, which originated in Asia, was discovered in southeastern Michigan in the summer of 2002, according to Emerald Ash Borer Information Network. Studies have found that adult beetles only nibble on the ash foliage and cause little damage. It’s their larvae, feeding on the inner bark of ash trees, that causes the major damage to the tree. The larvae’s feeding disrupts the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually leading to its death. It is believed EABs probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes from overseas.

There are currently six purple traps in the Mountain Brook area and 75 in Jefferson County, said Head. The purple traps, about 3-feet tall triangles, are made of a cardboard-like material.

This year, the trap installation has been contracted out to Delta-21 Resources Inc. out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Local USDA officers, he said, will perform routine inspections and gather periodic reports on the traps to ensure they are being used correctly.

This isn’t the first time the purple traps have been deployed in Alabama, said Head. It’s common practice to survey areas to determine if the harmful EAB — which will kill ash trees — are present in an area. In Alabama, the surveys have been conducted for years. If ever the presence of the EAB is determined, said Head, a number of regulatory procedures would have to take place.

“Thankfully I haven’t had to become an expert in that,” he said, citing the non existence of the beetles in the state.

Asked if the hope is that the traps don’t trap an EAB, Head said the answer is a double-edged sword.

“Of course we don’t want them here,” he said. “But if they are here, we want our traps to let us know that they are.”

Sharon Lucik, public affairs specialist with the USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, said areas where the beetle is found are placed under a federal quarantine. Because of the seriousness of the mater, Lucik said once a trap is believed to have captured an EAB, the suspect beetle must first be positively identified by a number of different etymologists.

“The suspect beetle is sent to the USDA for identification by an etymologist and then for confirmation in another laboratory,” said Lucik. “It has to go through a vetting process because there are lookalike beetles out there.”

The purple traps, though they appear out of the norm, pose no risk to people or pets. The traps, however, are covered with non-toxic glue and are very sticky, said Head, so it’s best not to touch them. The traps will be in area ash trees throughout the summer through August. Residents are asked to please not disturb them.

For more information about the EAB survey or to report a fallen trap, call 1-866-322-4512.