Four detection dogs began training in Minnesota on April 16, and are moving quickly through the phases of training. The dogs can consistently detect EAB infested material and ash tree material in isolated containers. They are now are in the middle of phase two – recognizing the scents while camouflaged with other scents in controlled settings and the introduction of scent in natural settings. The third and final stage will be comprehensive searching for EAB infested and ash tree material in the natural settings. The dogs may be ready to start sniffing mulch piles, yard waste sites, and commercial vehicles as early as July.
“These dogs will increase our efficiency as a regulatory agency,” said MDA Plant Protection Director Geir Friisoe. “The dogs can go to one of the yard waste sites we inspect, sniff around, and signal if there is ash material or EAB infested material in a waste pile within minutes. Once trained, they are extremely proficient.”
This partnership is the first time anyone in the nation has tested the ability of a dog to detect EAB. Working Dogs for Conservation plans to make EAB detection dogs available for any state to hire once the dogs have finished all phases of training. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service is also using dogs to detect Asian longhorned beetle, another invasive beetle that has infested trees in some Eastern states.
Working Dogs for Conservation is a non-profit organization that specializes in helping eradicate damaging invasive species while ensuring rich and rewarding lives of canines.
EAB is one of America’s most destructive tree pests. Its larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on the tree’s nutrients. The metallic-green adult beetles are a half-inch long, and are active from May to September. The biggest risk of spreading EAB comes from people unknowingly moving firewood or other ash products harboring larvae.
An interactive map of confirmed EAB infestations and stingless wasp release sites in Minnesota is available on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s website at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
