Beetle Busters: A Rogue Insect and the People Who Track It - Hardcover

by Loree Griffin Burns (Author), Ellen Harasimowicz (Illustrator)

The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) has made news across the United States. These beetles came to America from China, living in wood turned into shipping material. At first the beetles invaded urban areas, where hardwood trees were in limited supply--Chicago was able to declare itself ALB-free in 2006. But right now there is bad news in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Toronto--infestations have erupted in the area's hardwood forests, and these beetles, while bad at flying, are very good at killing trees.

Clint McFarland's job? Stop the ALB at any cost. How do you balance the needs of residents, the impact to the environment, and an invasive species primed to wipe out entire forests? It takes the help of everyday people, such as children playing baseball at a playground, teams of beetle-sniffing dogs, and science-minded people (bug scientists and tree doctors) to eradicate this invasive pest.

Author Biography

Loree Griffin Burns, Ph.D., did her doctoral studies (in various kinds of biology) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Ms. Burns lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three children. Ellen Harasimonwicz's photography has appeared in the Washington Post, Scientific American, Down East, In Touch Weekly, the Harvard Press, and Audubon Adventures. She lives in central Massachusetts.