As the emerald ash borer ravages North American ash trees, threatening the trees' very survival, a team of entomologists and engineers may have found a way to prevent the spread of the pests.

Emerald ash borers (EABs), a type of beetle native to Asia, first appeared in the U.S. about 20 years ago. They are now moving east from Michigan, killing ash trees on the Eastern Seaboard as far south as North Carolina.

"Within 25 years, practically no ash trees may remain on either side of the St. Lawrence Seaway," said Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State.

As their name implies, emerald ash borers are iridescent green. The beetles don't carry disease, but their larvae feed on the ash trees' sap, effectively killing the trees by depriving trees of their nourishment.

Thomas C. Baker, Distinguished Professor of Entomology at Penn State, knew that the male EAB locates a mate by flying over an ash tree, finding a female by identifying her green wings, which are folded over her back, and then dropping straight down onto her.

Baker and a post-doctoral fellow in his lab, Michael J. Domingue, were using dead female EABs for bait to trap the male beetles. Dead EAB decoys are not ideal for trapping, said Baker, because they are fragile and can sometimes disappear from the trap.

Baker then learned that Lakhtakia was able to replicate certain biological materials, such as fly eyes and butterfly wings. Baker posed the question: could Lakhtakia's technique visually replicate the unique female borer to create a better lure?

Dr. Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will travel in late February to Washington, DC to attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. To learn more about the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, please visit their website.

Dr. Osama Awadelkarim, Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will travel to Pheonix, Arizona in February to participate in the Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) Network Kick-off Meeting. To learn more about ESM's NACK Center, please visit their website.

Dr. Albert Segall, Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, was notified that he has been elected Fellow from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.