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It’s a classic New York tale: A traveler journeys to the city from abroad, claims a corner of the urban landscape and starts anew, hoping to thrive in a new environment.
That familiar immigrant story appeared to be the provenance of a new nonnative species of jewel beetle that was discovered recently in Brooklyn by scientists from the United States Forest Service, the agency announced this week.
Researchers found the previously unknown arthropod while conducting a survey at the landmark Green-Wood Cemetery, a burial ground with rolling hills, towering trees and curated gardens that spread over 478 acres near Sunset Park.
Marc F. DiGirolomo, the Forest Service technician who found the beetle, said that even in New York, an international hub fabled for its diversity, the discovery of an entirely unfamiliar species came as a surprise.
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CreditUnited States Department of Agriculture
“Every now and then, you do come across something that is new and interesting, and it’s exciting,” Mr. DiGirolomo said.
But, thrilling as the scientific development seemed, Mr. DiGirolomo was quick to note that researchers know very little about the insect — including whether it posed a threat to American trees that have long been under siege from invasive species.
The species’ potential threat left Joseph Charap, the director of horticulture at Green-Wood Cemetery, somewhat apprehensive.
“We don’t know how damaging this pest could potentially be,” Mr. Charap said. “So I can’t be like, ‘Hey, I’m super psyched about this.’”
The new species, which was introduced in a study published last month in the European Journal of Entomology, has not yet been formally named by scientists.
But researchers identified the beetle as part of the Agrilus genus, which includes some invasive tree destroyers like the infamous emerald ash borer, a minuscule metallic bug that has devastated forests across the United States for much of the 21st century.
In lieu of a more official designation, the Brooklyn bug was given the moniker Agrilus species 9895. Like the emerald ash borer, it was discovered by researchers determined to defend trees from outside threats.
The Forest Service and Green-Wood Cemetery began collaborating on a survey of stressed and damaged trees in 2016, Mr. Charap said.
The cemetery, an accredited arboretum with more than 500 plant species within its borders, was eager to learn more about potential threats to its more than 7,000 trees. And the Forest Service said an urban woodland like the one found in Green-Wood provided an ideal research ground to examine nonnative pests.
“It’s kind of, like, the perfect place to look for new species that are being introduced,” Mr. DiGirolomo said. “Typically, they’re being introduced into large cities through ports of entry — from imports.”
When horticulturalists at Green-Wood encounter damaged trees, they prune the affected twigs and branches and toss them in large sealed barrels. They lure insects from the wood using an antifreeze trap, and once the bugs are dead, the Forest Service screens them.
The eight specimens that turned out to be the new Agrilus beetle were pulled from a European beech tree that was stressed but not dying, Mr. DiGirolomo said. When he put the beetles under a microscope, the insects’ attributes differed from those usually seen in North America.
The differences were subtle, he said, and they were hard to describe, but they included the bugs’ eyes, body shape and male genitalia.
Seeking answers, he sent the specimens to a specialist in the Czech Republic.
“From his examination, he didn’t think it even matched anything in Europe or anywhere else in the world,” Mr. DiGirolomo said.
From there, the beetles were sent to Canada, where a scientist conducted a DNA analysis that further supported the discovery of a new species.
With the species identified, scientists and horticulturalists are now exploring whether it could have ruinous consequences for not only the trees under Green-Wood’s care but for arboreal life across the United States.
“It’s still very unclear what caused this insect to be here,” Mr. Charap pointed out. “Now, we need to figure out what our next response is going to be.”
