Laricobius osakensis
Thanks to a cooperative effort between the Hemlock Restoration Initiative and the USFS, Buncombe County is the first to receive this new, promising predator. First brought to the US in 2006, Laricobius osakensis beetles endured four years of rigorous testing in a quarantine lab at Virginia Tech before being cleared for release in 2010. Read more about this newest arrival in the recent USDA Southern Research Station CompassLive Weekly Update.
Watch a video about this beetle being researched, reared, and released at the Beneficial Insects Quarantine Lab at Virginia Tech.