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Emerald Ash Borer
Since found in 2002 in Michigan, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has infested trees in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, Virginia, Minnesota, New York, Kentucky, and West Virginia as well as in Ontario, Canada. Although EAB has not yet been discovered in New Jersey, foresters are keeping a look out for this destructive pest. Often this insect inhabits an area for several years before detected. It has infested over milllions of ash trees, many of which have died.
Spread
EAB can be spread by transporting ash trees from nurseries and from moving infested ash wood such as logs and firewood.
Identifying host species
The EAB only attacks Ash trees. The two most common ash species in New Jersey is White ash and Green ash. These ash trees have a compound leaf with five to nine leaflets and opposite branching. If you have an ash tree in your yard, monitor it for the signs of EAB.
Detection
When newly infested, an ash tree exhibits little or no outward symptoms. One of the first signs of an infestation is jagged holes in the bark where woodpeckers feed on emerald ash borer larvae. Inspect the tree trunk for D-shaped exit holes left by emerging adult beetles and vertically split bark over larval feeding galleries. If the bark is removed, the frass-filled s-shaped galleries are exposed. After multiple years of infestation, the tree’s crown will turn brown. Adult beetles can be seen in the summer months.
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