If you own a pool, you know that keeping the water clean and free of leaves and insects is an ongoing battle. The good news is that if you live in New York state you can turn that chore into data for science.

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation wants you to keep tabs on the Asian longhorned beetle by monitoring your pool filter for the little critters. The DEC wants you to check your filter at least weekly from now until August 30, and if you find one (or more), snap a picture and email it to foresthealth@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Once you’ve sent the picture in, you’re asked to put the bug(s) in a container in the freezer until you receive instructions to either discard the container or send it to the DEC.

The Asian longhorned beetle is an exotic “invasive species,” and a major infestation may well devastate the local tree cover. With everyone involved in looking for the beetle, there is a better chance of finding new infestations early, which in turn will allow the DEC to implement control measures more quickly.

Don’t have a pool? No problem; the DEC still wants to hear from you if you think you’ve found some.

For more information on the Asian longhorned beetle, check out the ALB page here

Image courtesy of Wikimedia