Before you head to deer camp to mow trails, prepare food plots and build that heavy-duty meat pole you've always wanted, be sure to leave one thing at home: the firewood.

That's right, if you live in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Maryland, you should not transport firewood more than a few miles from where you cut it. The reason why? The emerald ash borer. This exotic beetle is single-handedly wreaking havoc on any and all forests containing green, black and/or white ash trees. The beetle is so destructive that it can literally wipe out an entire forest within a few years. The beetles are most commonly spread to new areas via the transport of firewood and/or other timber products.

The emerald ash borer was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage.

The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients.

Since its discovery, the emerald ash borer has:

* Killed more than 30 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone.

* Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs.

* Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars.

For more information on the emerald ash borer, CLICKE HERE.