Emerald Ash Borer

THE  ASH TREE CATASTROPHE 

     STRIKES NEW JERSEY   

   
THE EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB)

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a non-native insect pest from Asia that infests and kills all species of ash trees in North America. It was first discovered in southeastern Michigan in 2002 and EAB has since been found in 27 additional states and 2 Canadian providences. The EAB has killed tens of millions of ash trees in Michigan alone, as well as hundreds of millions of additional trees in the other infested states and providences.

EAB only flies approximately one mile a year, but mankind has helped it spread
much faster by transporting infested firewood.

The adult EAB is approximately 1/2” long and 1/8” wide, metallic green in color, with a metallic copper red abdomen. The larvae are white or cream colored, measure approximately 1 to 1 ¼” long and have 10 abdominal segments that are bell shaped. The EAB has a 1-year life cycle.

Too small to detect with naked eye, most homeowners wont know if they have a problem
until after the damage is done. 

EAB adults emerge in May or early June creating D-shaped exit holes, undetectable to most people, on the branches and trunks of infested trees. The female adult EAB feeds on the margins of the ash leaf. After feeding, the female EAB deposits eggs in bark crevices or under bark flaps on the trunk or bark. The adult beetle stays active until August. After the egg matures, larvae burrow under the bark and feed on the cambium - the water and nutrient transporting layer of the tree. The larvae become adult beetles in April or May. Then the cycle begins again.

The damage to the tree is done by the larvae which eats the "cambium" layer under the bark.
This is the tissue that carries water up to the top and nutrients down to the root system.  

EAB first infest the top of the tree’s crown, which makes spotting adult beetles or exit holes nearly impossible from the ground. Woodpecker activity and damage on live trees is often an initial symptom of an EAB infestation. 

 Xylem transports water from the roots to the leaves and top of the tree. Phloem then transports sugar and nutrients from the top of the tree to the root system. Once this complex system is destroyed the ash tree rapidly dies, usually withing 3 years.  

As EAB populations increase, crown dieback, ideal branching, bark splits, and exit holes lower on the bark become more prevalent. Trees will only live an average of 3-4 years after infestation and 99% of ash trees will die.

The EAB  turns into an adult in May and June, and then exits the tree leaving small "D" shaped exit holes.
The  beetle first infest the top first making it difficult to detect.

WHAT SHOULD THE HOMEOWNER DO

The first thing a homeowner should do is to identify the trees on your property. There are other trees that look like Ash trees but are not affected by the EAB.

A positive identification is required by a professional before
any action is taken.  Black walnuts, hickory and
'Trees of Heaven' all look  very similar to Ash trees. 

React now to save your tree with insecticide treatment or prepare financially to have it removed soon.

Treated trees must be re-injected every two or three years.  Although treatment is expensive in some cases treatment may be less expensive than removal.  The recommended timing for systemic treatment (injection) is in mid-May though June while leaves are leafing out.

Early detection and professional insecticide injections are the surest way to
save a your ash tree from the Emerald Ash Borer.  

Once infested with EAB the trees die quickly, usually within three years. The dead trees become very brittle making it a hazard to home owners as well as the tree company taking it down. Branches can snap and fall to the ground striking workers below.

Dying from the top down, it is often too late to save an ash tree once detected.

For more information, including how to identify Ash trees go these following sources.

www.emeraldashborer.nj.com*

        Contact your local state or county 
                                cooperative extension service.                                            

Call your hometown Department of Public Works. Especially if you believe it might be a city street tree.

Contact a certified licensed "Tree Expert". To detect damage, a professional certified tree expert is often required.

My advice is react now. As more trees die, Ash tree removal prices are likely to go up also. 
Winter is the best time to remove trees while the insects 
          are not active and unable to escape.    

Share this information with friends and neighbors.

Good luck & Keep safe,                                             

James

*Thanks to www.emeraldashborer.nj.gov 
& Rutgers Cooperative Extesion 
for the information in this article