What is emerald ash borer (EAB)? EAB is an invasive insect that has wreaked havoc on ash trees across the eastern half of the U.S. and southeastern Canada.
Here is what Minnesotans need to know about this destructive pest:
Identification and Impact
- EAB infects and kills both weak and healthy ash trees. All ash species native to North America are vulnerable to attack.
- With nearly 1 billion ash trees in Minnesota, the spread of EAB seriously threatens our forests and communities.
- Woodpeckers often reveal the infested trees during winter by probing for larvae feeding beneath the bark. Infested trees show signs like light-colored "flecking" as woodpeckers remove the outer bark.
- Once symptoms appear, trees generally die within one to three years.
Spread and Survival
- EAB was first discovered in North America in southeast Michigan in 2002 and has since spread to many other U.S. states and some Canadian provinces.
- In Minnesota it was first found in St. Paul in 2009 and later in Minneapolis and southwest Minnesota. It continued to spread, reaching greater Duluth in 2015.
- Cold winters in northern Minnesota may slow EAB's spread, but it won't stop it completely.
Here's what you can do to prevent EAB and protect your trees:
1. Early Detection and Reporting
- Learn to identify the symptoms.
- Report any suspected EAB beetles or tree symptoms to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
- Early detection can help to protect lightly infested trees in your area and slow the spread to other regions.
2. Treatment for Health Trees
- Treat healthy, high-value ash trees with insecticides to protect them from EAB.
- Treatments must be repeated every two years for the tree's entire life.
- If your ash needs treatment, the time is now (mid-April to mid-May).
3. Prune and Remove Ash Trees
- Prune and remove ash trees as needed
- Take bark or wood at least one inch thick to the nearest ash tree waste disposal site before May 1st .
Remember, protecting ash trees maintains the beauty of our landscapes and has ecological consequences for our urban tree canopies and forest ecosystems. Let's work together to safeguard our ash trees!
For the Love of Plants and Ash Trees!
- Kelly
