Invasive brown spruce beetle found in Memramcook

A ban on movement of spruce logs and firewood from the Memramcook area is in effect after the detection of a brown spruce longhorn beetle.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed one single beetle has beenfound. The agency stated in a press release it is now searching for signs of infestation.

This comes just over a year after CFIAannounced N.B. was clear of the bug, adding then that the agency continues to monitor N.B, P.E., N.L., and Quebec to ensure the provinces' trees are beetle-free.

According to Natural Resources Canada,an infestation would mark the first establishment of the beetle in North America outside of Nova Scotia.

The CFIA states the invasive insect comes from Europe. In 1999, it was detected in Halifaxs Point Pleasant Park area where it has since infested thousands of trees. Ten years later, it has beendetectedon Cape Breton island and elsewhere in N.S.

In 2011, a single beetle was found in Kouchibouguac National Park, however this beetle was thought to have been transported there in firewood.

The federal government calls the tetropium fuscum an economic and environmental threat.