Alien Insects Invade Connecticut

DERBY — Naugatuck Valley Audubon Society will host a presentation by Dr Chris Maier at its next monthly meeting, which will be held Tuesday, March 20, at 7:30 pm, at Kellogg Environmental Center.

Dr Maier, a scientist in the Department of Entomology at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, will give a slide presentation on alien insects in Connecticut. His research specialty is the ecology and the management of exotic fruit and forest pests.

The talk will include information about introduced insects and the major impact they have had upon agriculture and forestry in North America. Recently, four new exotic invaders have been detected in or near Connecticut. This talk will focus on their distribution, biology, and potential impact. Dr Maier will be bringing specimens of dead exotic insects and possibly some live ones as well.

The Office of Environmental Education, in the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, operates Kellogg Environmental Center, at 500 Hawthorne Avenue.

A donation of $4/adult and $2/student is requested for nonmembers of Naugatuck Valley Audubon Society.

For further information, directions, or to register, phone the center at 734-2513.