Tree-eating beetle gaining ground, raising concerns

ers but would have had to rado, the Colorado River — catch quite a gust to get to a major source of water for the river from the closest 40 million people in seven CLARKDALE, ARIZ. — Matt drainage where they’ve been Western states — and other Johnson treks along an Arirecorded, he said. waterways. zona riverbank and picks Johnson has sent samples “Eventually the beetles out a patch of yellow-tinged to a geneticist in Colorado will be throughout the entire tamarisks. He sweeps a cloth to determine if the beetles Southwest, and really what net across the trees, hop- can be traced to a popula- we need to do is, in areas ing to scoop up beetles tion north of Arizona or a where it’s appropriate, get that munch on their ever- subtropical one from Texas in ahead of the beetle (and) green-like leaves. that multiplies quicker. plant willows and cotton

He counts spiders, ants Arizona once was prowoods and other native speand leafhoppers among the jected to be too hot for cies that can provide habitat catch and few beetles or their the beetles to survive, but for the willow flycatcher,” larvae. they’ve evolved as they’ve Bloodworth said.

“Their numbers are really expanded their reach. Dan The beetles and the songlow,” the Northern Arizona Bean with the Colorado bird have been the subject University researcher said. Department of Agriculture of legal fights. The Tuc

That the tiny bee t les found even more this sumson-based Center for Biobrought to the U.S. from mer in far southwestern Arilogical Diversity sued the Asia in an experiment to zona along the California U.S. Department of Agriculdevour invasive, water-suck- border, where temperatures ture and its Animal and Plant ing tamarisks showed up at regularly top 100 degrees. Health Inspection Service the Verde River in central The concern now is the in 2013. The lawsuit alleged Arizona is no surprise. But beetles establishing them- the damage caused by the it’s further evidence they’re selves in the Gila, Salt and insects through the beetle spreading faster than once San Pedro watersheds, which release program violated the anticipated and eventually have higher concentrations Endangered Species Act, and could pervade the Southwest of flycatcher habitat. argued the federal governU.S, raising wildfire risks and The beetles aren’t known ment should be held liable. allowing less time to uproot to feast on anything other As part of a settlement, the the tamarisks, also called salt than tamarisks, though one USDA released a draft concedars, and replace them beetle can’t eat much on its servation plan in June for the with native trees. own. In the thousands, they flycatcher, which is found in

Without those efforts, an can consume entire trees, parts of Arizona, California, already highly flammable Bean said. Colorado, Nevada, New Mextree will burn more intensely, The tamarisk leaves can ico, Texas and Utah. Under and an endangered songbird grow back within the seathe plan, the agency would that nests in tamarisk might son, but repeated attacks aid existing conservation not have a home. can be fatal for the trees — programs, contribute money

The federal program to a welcome result in places and monitor beetle impacts. use the beetles to chew up flycatchers don’t live. The public has until Aug. 8 tamarisk trees began as an Dead tamarisks can litter to weigh in. experiment in rural Nevada the ground with leaves and The beetles would not be in 2001 and was approved increase wildfire risks. The in the United States if not for more widespread use in trees already are notorious for the tamarisk that thrives 2005, as long as they were at for burning hot and black, along riverbeds. The trees least 200 miles from South- and beetle predation would were brought here in the western willow flycatcher provide more fuel. late 19th century for eroterritory. It ended in 2010 Ben Bloodworth works sion control. Today they’re as the beetles intruded on with Rivers Edge West, forloathed for crowding out the birds’ habitat. An unin- merly the Tamarisk Coalinative trees, though Greg tentional release in southern tion, which has been track- Beatty of the U.S. Fish and Utah also helped the insects ing the beetles’ movement Wildlife Service said the tamspread into Arizona. for years. The group has arisks’ success is more a func

Johnson believes the quar- mapped the beetles along tion of dammed rivers. Their ter-inch beetles hitchhiked to the Green River in Utah, the reputation as water villains, the Verde River on clothing, Rio Grande and Pecos River he says, often is grossly overa backpack or a boat. Norin New Mexico and Texas, stated. mally, they are wind travel- the Arkansas River in Colo