Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald ash borer, or EAB is
an invasive wood-boring insect native to Asia that was first
identified in 2002 in Michigan, although it is suspected it was
introduced to North America in the 1990's. It has progressed from the
eastern part of the country toward the west, often traveling along
interstate highways carried by wood products. On October 14th,
2016, it was confirmed in the northeastern part of Oklahoma. If you
look at the map you can see the infestation is creeping across the
country. It will only be a matter of time before it hits central
Oklahoma.
This pest is a significant
threat to urban and rural forests. EAB attacks all species of ash and
has the ability to kill healthy trees in the span of 3 years. It has
killed millions of ash trees in the United States since its arrival
and caused firewood/ wood product quarantines in infested counties.
EAB has also cost municipalities and property owners millions of
dollars. (check out http://www.emeraldashborer.info/
for more information.)
How to identify EAB:
Although it is unlikely you
will see the adult borer, it is a metallic green color and about
2/3rd the diameter of a penny.
More likely you will notice
ash trees with dying or dead branches in the upper crown, and shoots
or suckers along the trunk. Other symptoms included heavy feeding
from woodpeckers and bark splitting exposing feeding galleries that
look like spaghetti tunnels.
Luckily, our understanding
of how EAB can be managed has increased since it's arrival and it is
now possible that some ash trees can be protected even in areas with
a large infestation. Dealing with this pest will be something our
community will need to discuss in the near future. According to
recent research, it is more cost effective for a community focus on
saving and treating ash trees than removing and replacing them, in
some cases as much as two-thirds the cost.1
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/
( January 30, 2017)
Please contact an arborist
if you think you might have an infestation or have an ash tree and
would like to know more about how to deal with this pest when it does
arrive in central Oklahoma.
1Clifford
Sadof et al, “Tools for Staging
and Managing Emerald Ash Borer in the Urban Forest,” Arboriculture
& Urban Forestry 43, no. 1
(2017): 15.
