| It's hard to believe that something the size of a | | | | restricted movement of firewood, ash trees and |
| small beetle can have such a devastating effect | | | | ash tree parts from known infested areas. If the |
| on millions of trees. Such is the case with the | | | | EAB is left to its own resources, its spread will be |
| emerald ash borer, responsible for the destruction | | | | limited to a short distance each year. |
| of over 30 million American and Canadian ash | | | | Important Facts: |
| trees. | | | | Only ash trees are at risk from the beetle. |
| Native to Asia, the emerald ash bore (EAB) was | | | | An adult beetle is metallic green in color and about |
| first discovered near Detroit, Michigan in 2002. | | | | 1/2 inch long. |
| Upon investigation, after a wave of reported | | | | Woodpeckers love EAB larvae; a sign of |
| dying ash trees, scientists at Michigan State | | | | infestation is woodpecker damage on ash trees. |
| University discovered tiny insects living behind the | | | | The adult beetles leave a "D" shaped hole in the |
| bark of these trees. They were no larger than a | | | | bark when they exit the tree. As larvae gets |
| grain of rice, had a metallic green sheen to them, | | | | bigger, they leave winding track marks on the |
| and were unlike anything they had ever seen. The | | | | wood. |
| EAB was finally identified with the help of an | | | | Firewood cannot be moved in many areas of |
| eastern European entomologist expert, and it was | | | | Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West |
| theorized the insect was transported here from | | | | Virginia, Maryland, Ontario and Quebec because of |
| China in the 1990s in wooden crates. | | | | the EAB quarantine (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, |
| The EAB larvae feeds on the bark of the tree, | | | | Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Ontario, |
| tunneling deeper and deeper. As they feed, they | | | | Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and |
| actually injure the plant's circulatory system, | | | | Wisconsin) |
| inhibiting the tree's ability to transport nutrients | | | | Treating Your Ash Tree: If you discover signs of |
| and water throughout, and eventually killing the | | | | EAB, there are several insecticide options available, |
| tree within one to three years. Take that single | | | | however not all are consistently effective. If a |
| tree and multiply it by an entire forest, and then | | | | tree has lost more than 50 percent of its leaves |
| an entire state to truly appreciate the devastation | | | | then it is probably to late to save it. The |
| this killer can inflict. Millions of trees throughout | | | | treatment is harsh, and the tree needs to be |
| Canada and the Midwest have fallen victim, now | | | | healthy enough to survive its effects and carry |
| many feel it is only a matter of time before it | | | | the insecticide up the trunk into the branches and |
| makes its way to Minnesota. | | | | leaves. Once you initiate treatment, the leaves |
| Jacob Ryg, city forester in Rochester, emphasizes | | | | may appear to be thinning out, but after the |
| that 17,000 of the trees lining the streets and | | | | second year, when the tree has had a chance to |
| adorning the parks in Rochester alone, are ash. | | | | heal, it may return back to a healthier state. |
| The bill to remove the dead trees and plant new | | | | Methods of treatment include insecticide injections |
| ones would be huge, with an estimated $27 million | | | | into the soil, trunk, lower trunk sprays, or cover |
| just in Minneapolis. When they do arrive, and start | | | | sprays applied to the trunk, main branches and |
| feasting on Minnesota's over 872 million ash trees, | | | | possibly the foliage. It is a good idea to seek |
| they will have a veritable buffet of ash species | | | | professional help when dealing with EAB to ensure |
| that were initially planted to replace victims of the | | | | you are using the correct treatment for your |
| former Dutch Elm disease. | | | | tree. |
| The EAB is an aggressive killer. Once the larvae | | | | The most effective product to date, and known |
| becomes an adult, they emerge, fly to another | | | | to protect the tree for one full year, is |
| tree and lay eggs there, and the cycle continues. | | | | Emamectin benzoate. |
| There is not much to be done to prevent the | | | | Your tree may not exhibit any symptoms of |
| inevitable spread, but it is possible to slow it down, | | | | EAB, but may be quarantined due to infestations |
| and provide researchers the necessary time to | | | | in the surrounding area (within 10-15 miles). In that |
| find more effective ways of destroying the | | | | case, it is not too early to begin treatment. |
| beetle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has | | | | |