REWHC - Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

The Invasion Begins

Across America, they're coming! Cleverly concealed in hardwood pallets and packing crates, foreign agents are waiting to unleash havoc on our environment. Their undying hope, as they wait patiently in "Trojan Horses" across America, is for domination of local flora and fauna. Their nemesis, the Department of Homeland Security, has been tracking them, capturing their members and making them talk. Raytheon and REWHC are performing their patriotic duty, helping reveal the invaders, before they can perform their will.

Defending the Homeland

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has launched the "Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey" (CAPS) to combat the threat of invasive woodboring beetles and other species though survey and tracking. APHIS is an agency funded by the Department of Homeland Security. Robert Green and Morris Ford, members of the DEM CAPS team, visited the Portsmouth site on 15 April 2004 to discuss the foreign beetle threat and our pallet and shipping crate storage and recording practices.

Knowing the Enemy

Species of interest include:

Luring the Unsuspecting

Indoor and outdoor sites, where packing crates and pallets are stored, were evaluated as possible areas for traps. A total of four traps were placed, two behind the Providence building, and two near the Nimitz loading dock. Funnel traps, of the Lindgren variety, were deployed with a variety of lures (attractants) to draw the beetles to this simulated tree trunk. Traps will be surveyed every two weeks for evidence of the foreign beetles through September.

Busting the Beetles

The following are the species which have been found in the traps:

Date	Species	Foe
mm/mm/mm	TBD	TBD
mm/mm/mm	TBD	TBD