That weird-looking thing on your tree is catching ash borers

If you see an eggplant-colored, 2-foot-long, three-sided polygon hanging from your ash tree, don't be alarmed.

The Mount Prospect Public Works Department is placing 16 of them in public trees around town to study the tree-killing emerald ash borer beetle.

Mount Prospect Forestry Assistant Dave Hull spent Thursday suspending by wire eight of these traps about 10 feet off the ground all over the village.

Today the remainder will be installed as part of the emerald ash borer trapping survey in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

About six of the traps are near homes. In those cases, a letter was left with the residents, explaining what the traps are and what to do if one falls and is damaged, Hull said.

The traps are lined with Manuka oil, which is a lure for the adult beetles. The purple color is another way to attract the beetle, he said.

On the outside of the trap, there's a thin layer of glue that traps the beetles when they land on it. The glue and oil are non-toxic, said Sandy Clark, the village's forestry/grounds superintendent.

The traps will be in place for the duration of the adult beetles' flight season, roughly June through September, Clark said.

The village will be periodically checking to see what's on the traps. If a suspected ash borer is found, it'll be shipped to the Illinois Department of Agriculture for a final determination, she said.

The village has about 4,200 ash trees on public property. One out of every six public trees is an ash tree, Clark said.

Ash borer beetles have not been detected in the village, but the forestry/grounds division is participating in the trapping survey to be proactive.

The village is hoping that early detection will help control and slow the spread of beetles throughout Mount Prospect, once it does arrive here, officials said.

Call the public works forestry/grounds division at (847) 392-6000 if you have any further questions.