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Quick Links: Facts | Susceptible
Trees | Spread of EAB | What
is being done | What can homeowners do?
Update,
May 19-24
Go to: EAB Awareness Week
Emerald
Ash Borer
Facts
& History of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)?
EAB is an exotic, destructive, beetle from eastern Russia, northern China,
Japan and Korea.
It is believed that it arrived in the US on a shipping barge carrying
ash tree lumber.
It was first discovered in the US near Detroit, Michigan in June 2002.
As of June 2006, EAB has been found in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio,
Illinois (50 miles from WI border), and Ontario, Canada.
The
adult EAB is dark metallic green and about one-half inch long.
What
trees are susceptible to the EAB?
All sizes and even very healthy ash trees can be killed by the Emerald Ash
Borer. Ash
species attacked by emerald ash borer include green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica),
white (F. americana), black (F. nigra), and blue (F.
quadrangulata), as well as horticultural cultivars of these species. Green
and white ash are the most commonly found ash species in the Midwest with blue
ash being rare.
While
other woody plants, such as mountain ash and prickly ash, have “ash” in
their name, they are not true ash, or Fraxinus species. Only true ash
are susceptible to attack by emerald ash borer.
How
does the EAB harm ash trees?
The larval stage of the EAB feeds under the bark of trees, cutting off the
flow of water and nutrients.
Infested trees gradually die over a 2-4 year period.
How
does EAB spread?
EAB moves short distances (˝ mile annually) by flying and can survive longer
distances in transit on ash nursery stock, ash logs, branches and firewood.
To avoid the accidental introduction of the EAB to Wisconsin, the WI
DNR has implemented a Firewood Emergency Rule: out-of-state campers may not
bring in firewood.
And everyone, whether a Wisconsin Resident or non-Resident, is being
asked to buy firewood inside or near the property where you plan to camp, burn
all of the wood you purchase or leave it behind for another camper, and do not
move firewood around with you on your camping trip.
How
important are ash trees to Madison and Wisconsin?
About
30% of Wisconsin’s and 20% of Madison’s street trees are ash.
In Madison, that adds up to about 20,000 ash trees. The
ash species was heavily planted after Dutch Elm Disease swept the city. Ash
was so popular within urban areas because they could withstand all urban types
of conditions such as clay soils, road salt accumulation, and air
pollution. Many
varieties of ash such as 'Marshall Seedless' green ash and 'Autumn Purple' ash
were all originated at the U.W. -Madison in plant research and selection. The
loss of these trees would be devastating to many communities and prohibitively
expensive to remove and replace.
There are also approximately 717 million ash trees in Wisconsin’s
forests. Ash
serves as an important species in Wisconsin’s northern and southern forests
and is a key component of forests growing in wet areas including swamps and
along river ways.
What
is being done about EAB?
There is a national effort to limit the spread and impact of EAB.
A national plan, coordinated by the United States Department of
Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, guides what federal,
state and local officials must do to manage this insect.
Quarantine:
Once an EAB is confirmed in an area, the infested area must be quarantined.
This means selected materials such as ash firewood, nursery stock and
ash logs may not be moved out of the infested area.
The Quarantine area is typically a ˝ mile radius of the infested
trees.
Eradication:
Eradication of all of the ash trees, both public and private, in the quarantined area.
What
is being done in Wisconsin and in Madison?
Even though the EAB has not yet been found in Wisconsin, education and
planning efforts are well underway.
The WI Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is
currently leading the efforts to detect, plan for and limit the chances of
movement of EAB into and throughout Wisconsin.
The WI DNR, together with DATCP and University of Wisconsin scientists,
have been conducting detection surveys of areas deemed high risk for
introduction of EAB.
These organizations have been hosting conferences for municipal
forestry staff to learn about EAB and how they will need to handle the
quarantine and eradication plans in their own county or city.
Is
there any treatment I can put on my ash trees now to protect them from EAB?
There are chemical treatments available to protect ash trees from EAB, but
they are not 100% effective.
If EAB is found in Wisconsin, the quarantine and eradication plan will
be implemented.
Even chemically-treated trees within the ˝ mile zone will need to be
cut and destroyed.
Therefore, it is a personal decision to treat the trees, but as long as
eradication is planned, treated trees will not be given any special
consideration.
For more information, please refer to www.emeraldashborer.info
How
can I tell if my ash trees are infested with EAB?
It is difficult to detect emerald ash borer in newly infested trees, as it
first infests the tops of ash trees and works its way down.
Signs of infestation include the presence of metallic-green beetles
about the diameter of a penny on or around ash trees, thinning and yellowing
leaves, D-shaped holes in the bark of the trunk or branches, unusually large
amounts of woodpecker activity as it feeds on the larvae and shoots growing
from the base of the tree.
Besides Emerald Ash Borer,
ash trees in the Madison area can have other issues/diseases that will affect
their appearance and health. But
unlike EAB, these are not an immediate threat to the neighboring ash trees.
If you suspect your private tree has any of the following
diseases, you may contact the University
of Wisconsin Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic or a local arborist for more
information and steps to take. If you suspect your street tree has any of the
following, please Forestry at 266-4816.
-
Ash plant bug –
these are sucking insects that feed on the leaves.
The area where this insect feeds will appear chlorotic (yellow or
bleached in appearance).
-
Verticillium wilt
– this is a fungal disease that affects the sapwood of the tree.
Symptoms range from the wilting of individual twigs to an entire
crown wilting. Leaves appear
light green or yellow. Eventually
the leaves die as well as the entire branch.
- Ash
yellows – this affects white and green ash only.
Symptoms include: branch
and crown dieback, leaves appear stunted and chlorotic, and the appearance
of ‘brooming’ can be found in the lower trunk or base of the tree.
What
can I, as a homeowner, do?
Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of EAB.
Two excellent sources of information may be found at http://emeraldashborer.wi.gov/ http://www.emeraldashborer.info
and http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives
To report possible sightings of EAB, call the Wisconsin DNR at
1-800-462-2803.
Do
not haul or buy firewood from out of state, especially those states known to
have EAB.
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