Tracking a tiny
but deadly menace

By David Baeta

OTTAWA — A ruthless killer is lurking in Canada's forests, but, unlike most criminals, this one's hard to trace and contain — that's because it's about one inch long.

Despite the beetle's size, scientists at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre, have devised a way to easily identify and track down the little perpetrator — known as the Asian Longhorn beetle.

Dr. Arthur Retnakaran says the beetle’s DNA is what tells it apart from other beetles. Since DNA extraction is commonly used in crime scene investigations involving humans, Retnakaran is applying the same concept to the world of insects.

Trunks and branches of healthy trees are first to feel the wrath of this beetle as it tunnels through the bark, nestles in the hardwood, and eventually kill its host.

"They [CFS] wanted us to design a DNA system to detect the beetle, much like the ones used in forensics," Retnakaran says.

Thanks to his molecular markers, the beetle can unambiguously be identified — which can simultaneously save millions of Canadian trees.

Currently, trees anywhere near other infested trees are simply cut, chipped, and burned.

Forestry workers take no chances with the beetle.

It must be tracked down quickly because it spreads quickly and, most importantly, it tunnels through the bark and trunk of trees, which is deadly.

The markers will enable field workers establish if the beetle has made it’s mark in an area.

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