Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a newly discovered non-native insect pest of American ash trees. In July 2002, it was identified in southeastern Michigan and may have been in Michigan for as long as five years. Ash trees were a popular landscape tree during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Today however, it is not advised to plant new ash trees.

The EAB is a beetle from Asia and it has been assigned the scientific name Agrilus planipennis.

The emerald ash borer lays eggs in small groups that bury themselves into the ash tree bark after hatching. The larvae gnaw at layers beneath the tree's bark, cutting off the tree's nourishment. The larvae can girdle and kill just branches or the entire tree.

It is not clear why some of the larvae take only 1 year to hatch as adult beetles, and others can take 2 years to complete the cycle. Once emerging from the ash tree as adults, the beetles survive for about 2 weeks or so during which time they mate and the life cycle repeats. Adults begin to emerge from the ash tree in May and June.

Emerald Ash borer appears to infest all types of ash trees. In its native range, it is also known to infest Asian walnut and elm species. This insect can kill trees quickly, but often it goes undetected for several years before damage becomes apparent. A confounding factor in looking for this pest is that ash trees have been showing symptoms of decline for more than 25 years.

There is also a native ash borer to contend with. The banded ash borer and the ash/lilac borer are common pests of stressed ash trees. Both are clearwing moths, and the larvae produce larger, rounded exit holes, compared to the small (3-4 mm) D-shaped exit hole left by emerging adult emerald ash borers.

Ash Tree Leaves Besides the D-shaped exit holes found on the bark of infected trees, other evidence of emerald ash borer includes frass-filled larval tunnels in a serpentine pattern in the outer sapwood and phloem of the trunk and branches and 5-10 cm vertical splits in the bark above these larval galleries.

Once the adult emerald ash borer emerges from the tree, it can travel about a half-mile in search of another ash tree. It can also cover greater distances if the beetle happens to become attached to a moving automobile.

Officials say the borer's expanding range is most likely caused by human intervention. Ash tree firewood carries the larvae. Campers buy the firewood from infected areas, then move on to an un-infected area and leave the firewood at the campsite when they leave. It is important not to transport firewood from camp site to camp site.

The federal government allocated about $20 million to fight the borer in 2005 compared to about $38 million in 2004.

Emerald Ash Borer Ban Sign

Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer Infestations

Treatment can be through surface spray, mauget injections, or systemic treatments. Relatively new treatments can provide 100% survival on treated trees if the particular tree still has at least a 50% canopy in place at time of treatment. The EAB does not seem to infect or damage saplings smaller than about 2" in diameter. It is possible that the smaller tree size does not provide enough protection for the larvae to survive winters.

Inspect your ash trees for signs of damage—D shaped exit holes, thinning crown, and dead limbs.
While many believe the only preventative method for stopping the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer is to clear-cut trees, there is another alternative. Recent Michigan State University (MSU) research, conducted in conjunction with the USDA, confirmed Imicide® and Inject-A-Cide B® from the J.J. Mauget Co. are effective for the control of the Emerald Ash Borer.
Mauget’s enclosed micro infusion system works from the inside out, so it’s sensitive to the environment and less harmful to the tree.
Any professional applicator can be trained to use Mauget’s micro-infusion technology, which only requires a power drill, gloves, tape measure, rubber mallet, protective eyewear, and Mauget’s feeder tubes and capsules.
A new drill bit is provided with every case of Mauget products for an accurate application every time.

For more information about Mauget Injections >>

Untreated trees and areas with infestations will see ever higher death rates of the ash trees. The reason for this is that adult female EABs give off a pheromone that attracts males to the area thus increasing the EAB populations until all of the ash trees have been devastated and the EAB no longer has a source to incubate their eggs.


Expand All \| Collapse All Landscapes Landscaping Design Lighting Shrubs Soil Watering Xeriscaping Landscape Diseases Edible Plants Ornamental Grasses Trees Trees Tree Benefits Small Garden Trees Apple Scab Disease Emerald Ash Borer Ash Borer ID State Tree List Calculating Tree Loss Tree Care Choosing Trees Tree Planting Tips Tree Transplanting Tree Fertilization Having Healthy Trees Tree Stump Removal American Shade Trees American Elm American Liberty Elm American Smoketree Black Gum Bur Oak Red Maple Red Maple Columnar Sassafras Sourwood Tree White Ash White Oak Crabapples Flowering Crab Japanese Crab Sargent Crab Siberian Crab Tea Crab Zumi Crab Q&A Ornamentals Amur Maple Bald Cypress Eastern Redbud Serviceberry Wash. Hawthorne Evergreens American Holly Arborvitae Canadian Hemlock Cypresses Arizona Cypress Leyland Cypress Eastern Red Cedar Firs Balsam Fir Canaan Fir Douglas Fir Fraser Fir Grand Fir Noble Fir White Fir Upright Junipers Pines Austrian Pine East. White Pine Scotch Pine Virginia Pine Spruces Blue Spruce Norway Spruce White Spruce Holiday Trees Trees Tree Care Tree History Enter your ZipCode below to find a professional in your area.	Home Landscapes Landscaping Design Landscape Design 10 Steps to a Good Landscape DIY Landscape Design Essential Elements Family Use Areas Developing a Plot plan Creating a Site Plan Including Special Use Areas Construction & Installations Property Value Upgrades Hiring a Pro Lighting Shrubs Soils Trees Trees Tree Benefits Essential Steps for Healthy Trees Choosing a Trees Tree Planting Guide Tree Transplates How to Fertilize Trees American Shade Trees American Elm American Liberty Elm American Smoketree Black Gum Bur Oak Red Maple Red Maple Columnar Sassafras Sourwood Tree White Ash White Oak Crabapples Flowering Crabapples Japanese Crabapple Sargent Crabapple Siberian Crabapple Tea Crab Zumi Crabapple Q&A Evergreens American Holly Arborvitae Canadian Hemlock Eastern Red cedar Firs Balsam Fir Canaan Fir Douglas Fir Fraser Fir Grand Fir Noble Fir White Fir Pines Austrian Pine Eastern White Pine Scotch Pine Virginia Pine Cypress Arizona Cypress Leyland Cypress Spruce Blue Spruce Norway Spruce White Spruce Upright Junipers Ornamentals Bald Cypress Eastern Redbud Serviceberry Washington Hawthorne Holiday Trees Trees Tree Care Tree History Apple Scab Disease Emerald Ash Borer Ash Borer ID State Tree List Tree Stump Removal Calculating Tree Loss Cost Watering Xeriscaping Gardens Lawns Problems Animals Diseases Insects Noxious Weeds Soil Problems Weeds Galleries Resources
	>>Home > Emerald Ash Borer The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a newly discovered non-native insect pest of American ash trees. In July 2002, it was identified in southeastern Michigan and may have been in Michigan for as long as five years. Ash trees were a popular landscape tree during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Today however, it is not advised to plant new ash trees. The EAB is a beetle from Asia and it has been assigned the scientific name Agrilus planipennis. The emerald ash borer lays eggs in small groups that bury themselves into the ash tree bark after hatching. The larvae gnaw at layers beneath the tree's bark, cutting off the tree's nourishment. The larvae can girdle and kill just branches or the entire tree. It is not clear why some of the larvae take only 1 year to hatch as adult beetles, and others can take 2 years to complete the cycle. Once emerging from the ash tree as adults, the beetles survive for about 2 weeks or so during which time they mate and the life cycle repeats. Adults begin to emerge from the ash tree in May and June. Emerald Ash borer appears to infest all types of ash trees. In its native range, it is also known to infest Asian walnut and elm species. This insect can kill trees quickly, but often it goes undetected for several years before damage becomes apparent. A confounding factor in looking for this pest is that ash trees have been showing symptoms of decline for more than 25 years. There is also a native ash borer to contend with. The banded ash borer and the ash/lilac borer are common pests of stressed ash trees. Both are clearwing moths, and the larvae produce larger, rounded exit holes, compared to the small (3-4 mm) D-shaped exit hole left by emerging adult emerald ash borers. Besides the D-shaped exit holes found on the bark of infected trees, other evidence of emerald ash borer includes frass-filled larval tunnels in a serpentine pattern in the outer sapwood and phloem of the trunk and branches and 5-10 cm vertical splits in the bark above these larval galleries. Once the adult emerald ash borer emerges from the tree, it can travel about a half-mile in search of another ash tree. It can also cover greater distances if the beetle happens to become attached to a moving automobile. Officials say the borer's expanding range is most likely caused by human intervention. Ash tree firewood carries the larvae. Campers buy the firewood from infected areas, then move on to an un-infected area and leave the firewood at the campsite when they leave. It is important not to transport firewood from camp site to camp site. The federal government allocated about $20 million to fight the borer in 2005 compared to about $38 million in 2004. Read also: Identifying Emerald Ash Borer infestation Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer Infestations Treatment can be through surface spray, mauget injections, or systemic treatments. Relatively new treatments can provide 100% survival on treated trees if the particular tree still has at least a 50% canopy in place at time of treatment. The EAB does not seem to infect or damage saplings smaller than about 2" in diameter. It is possible that the smaller tree size does not provide enough protection for the larvae to survive winters. Inspect your ash trees for signs of damage—D shaped exit holes, thinning crown, and dead limbs. While many believe the only preventative method for stopping the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer is to clear-cut trees, there is another alternative. Recent Michigan State University (MSU) research, conducted in conjunction with the USDA, confirmed Imicide® and Inject-A-Cide B® from the J.J. Mauget Co. are effective for the control of the Emerald Ash Borer. Mauget’s enclosed micro infusion system works from the inside out, so it’s sensitive to the environment and less harmful to the tree. Any professional applicator can be trained to use Mauget’s micro-infusion technology, which only requires a power drill, gloves, tape measure, rubber mallet, protective eyewear, and Mauget’s feeder tubes and capsules. A new drill bit is provided with every case of Mauget products for an accurate application every time. For more information about Mauget Injections >> Untreated trees and areas with infestations will see ever higher death rates of the ash trees. The reason for this is that adult female EABs give off a pheromone that attracts males to the area thus increasing the EAB populations until all of the ash trees have been devastated and the EAB no longer has a source to incubate their eggs.

	©2012 Landscape-America.com. All Rights Reserved \| Site developed by OHCPi Site Map \| Pro Search Submission Form \| American-Lawns.com \| FAQ \| Resources

Landscaping with trees

Enter your ZipCode below to find a professional in your area.

Emerald Ash Borer

Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer Infestations