Sunday, April 26, 2015

Simpler nanoscale bioreplication of beetle decoys

Ash trees in 22 eastern states of U.S.A. are being decimated by emerald ash borers (EABs), an Asian beetle that arrived in Michigan more than two decades ago. The pest has even spread westwards into Kansas and Colorado. Nothing seemed to be effective against EABs, until decoys designed to mimic female EABs were found in 2012 by a group of researchers to be successful in enticing male EABs for mating. Last year, the same researchers found the decoys could be used to electrocute and kill the seduced males.