Meet the Beetles: Health Officials Trained to Identify the Bug

Westborough's top three health officials are now trained to identify the Asian Longhorned Beetle, which has been found in Shrewsbury, Worcester and other Central Mass. communities.

In December, Shrewsbury became among among six Central Mass. communities sharing in $3 million in state funding toward replanting, by 2014, 30,000 area trees impacted by the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray's office said in a press release.

The Worcester Tree Initiative, a public-private partnership launched by Murray and Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, in 2009, has set this tree goal.

The Westborough Department of Public Works hosted the training on Jan. 11, Director of Public Health Paul McNulty said Wednesday.

McNulty, Town Sanitarian Steven Baccari and Health Inspector Terry Gilchrist were among those attending the session.

"We have had a number of people bring us large beetles for identification, thinking it may be the LHB," McNulty told the board of health in his January report.

"(There have been) none found in Westborough so far, but a lot in Worcester and adjoining towns. If you think about all of the trash and junk that goes to Harvey's from Worcester, it's a wonder we have not had any."