Ash borer found in Bloomington

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Agriculture says it has identified two beetles collected in Bloomington as adult emerald ash borers, the pest blamed for the destruction of millions of North American trees.

The beetles were trapped last week in an industrial area of Bloomington's southwest side. This is the most southern sighting in Illinois of the highly destructive beetle.

The metallic-green pest was spotted in Chicago for the first time last month.

Emerald ash borers are highly destructive and tough to fight. They feed on ash trees, eventually killing them. The insect has been blamed for killing millions of trees in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ontario in Canada.