A Pittsfield group is holding a meeting in the city this afternoon to alert residents of an invasive and destructive beetle.The emerald ash borer was first detected in Berkshire County in 2012 and this summer has spread east to Essex and Suffolk counties. The small, green beetle native to Asia has made its way to 22 states over the past decade feeding only on ash trees, often killing them in three to five years. Kate Berch is part of the group Pittsfield Tree Watch that is hoping to raise awareness of the issue.
“If you look at them, the top of the tree will start to thin and eventually you’ll see bark coming off and you’ll see the very small holes in the tree that look like a “D,” explained Berch.
Thursday’s meeting starts at 4 p.m. at the senior center on North St. in Pittsfield.