The City of Winnipeg has set out 200 traps to catch the emerald ash borer beetle.
The green prism traps are baited to lure and attract the beetle and have been placed on ash trees throughout the city to help detect the presence of the beetle.
Winnipeg is at risk of losing all its ash trees after the emerald ash borer beetle was detected late in 2017.
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The beetle eats away at the tree, cutting off its supply of nutrients and in the end killing it.
The city says over time, prism traps will help monitor populations and trends, even identifying where the highest population areas are in the city.
The data collected will help the city target tree treatments, removals and replacements.
The traps will be out until August.
There are about 101,000 ash trees on boulevards and parks and about 256,385 ash trees on private properties across the city.
The beetle was found in St. Boniface, but it is spread by people — mainly people moving firewood, nursery stock, trees, logs, lumber, wood or bark chips. The beetle can also fly several kilometres.
A recent report from the city says Winnipeg will spend $90 million over the next 10 years managing the dead trees on city property, while an additional $15 million will be spent managing the wood waste from the tree removals.
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