Pest Found in Trees Near St. Paul’s Summit Avenue

ST. PAUL (AP) - The destructive emerald ash borer has been discovered in trees near St. Paul's historic Summit Avenue.

The pests were discovered earlier this month. The area is three miles away from a previously infested spot in the St. Anthony neighborhood.

Spokeswoman Liz Erickson of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture says a state emerald ash borer trapper discovered the infestation Sept. 16. Since then, she says more infested trees have been discovered.

Erickson says crews began cutting down six boulevard trees a block north of Summit Monday morning.

The metallic green beetles were discovered in St. Paul a couple of years ago, and have since spread to Minneapolis, Falcon Heights and Shoreview. In southeastern Minnesota, the borers have been found in Winona and Houston counties.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)