AUSTIN, Minn. – The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center is becoming Mower County’s first biocontrol site – fighting emerald ash borers (EAB) by releasing wasps. Across southeast Minnesota, EAB have been a major problem for ash trees for years. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture believes these wasps could turn the tides, as they are natural predators of the borers. Hundreds of wasps will be released from wood blocks every few weeks. The wasps then eat EAB larvae before they do too much damage to the trees.
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