MADISON, Wis. -- State officials plan to survey 44 counties this winter for signs of an exotic beetle that destroys ash trees.

Mick Skwarok, of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said no reports of the emerald ash borer have been confirmed within Wisconsin's borders.

But, Skwarok said, it's reasonable to assume the beetle is in Wisconsin, given the state's proximity to known areas of infestation. He also called the beetle "an expert firewood hitchhiker."

So far, nearly 300 trees in Brown, Dane and Kenosha counties have been cut down, and more than 10 dozen have had their bark peeled back to check for signs of the burrowing larvae.

Skwarok said a quarantine and containment plan will go into effect immediately as soon as the beetle is found in the state.