The Devil Bug hits Wisconsin

The Emerald Ash Borer, also known as the danger bug of Detroit, is making its way to Minnesota faster than officials first predicted. This doesn’t bode well for our tree-lined streets. The half-inch long insect will lay its eggs inside our beautiful ash trees and have their offspring gobble through the wood at birth. Like John McCain’s neck bulge, it’s not pretty to think about.

CP updated the journey of the Emerald Ash Borer last month. (scroll down) We wanted to remind readers about the seriousness of this beast:

"This little bug causes 100 percent mortality in all species of ash," says Dr. Lee Frelich, director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota. "And it doesn't respond to any attempts to control it."

But we didn’t suspect the Emerald Ash Borer would make it to our neighbors so quick. Back when the story published, the bug had just landed in Chicago and experts like Frelich thought the bug wouldn’t be denuding out streets for at least seven years.

State Officials are now banning fire wood transports into the state, but stopping the movement of the Emerald Ash Borer is impossible. And like Rosie O'Donnell at Old Country Buffet, the metallic green arbiter of ash violence has an insatiable appetite.

So like we said before, enjoy the shade while it lasts.