Boxes battle bark beetles

The city has installed a series of traps in parks to see if they can stop the destructive elm bark beetle:

The traps consist of 18.5"x 28" green plywood boxes mounted approximately 15 feet off the ground on trees located at least 150 feet away from any elms. Four have been placed on Boston Common, four in the Public Garden, three in the Fenway Victory Garden, and one in Copley Square.

The traps are designed to monitor elm bark beetles which cause damage when the larvae build “galleries” beneath the bark. Adults pose an additional threat when they travel from sick to healthy trees carrying Dutch elm disease spores with them.

Each trap contains a paper lining with a sticky surface that acts like old-fashioned flypaper. The paper is infused with a pheromone lure to attract the insects. The traps contain no pesticides or harmful chemicals.