Don’t Transport Pests This Spring

Planning an outdoor activity soon this spring?

Are you planning on traveling?

Van Pichler of USDA's Animal and Pant Health Inspection Service advises avoiding and preventing hitchhikers; the evasive planter pest variety that can cause unwanted infestation and threaten native plant species. So check to make sure an invasive  pest is not hitchhiking on your vehicle, backpack, or clothing before traveling to a new area.

"You can check for egg masses, insects, or other signs of infestation," Pichler said. "So if you find them, we ask that you scrape them off, you destroy the egg masses and you let us know what you found, where, contact your local state agricultural official, or the USDA, or state health director."

Likewise, he said, never move a treated firewood from what location to another.

"There could be Asian longhorn beetle hiding in the firewood, so we ask instead for folks to buy certified heat treated firewood, buy regular wood locally or gather it on site where it's permitted."

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com