Emerald Ash Borer

Pest Arrives in Westmoreland County - The Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus Planipennis Fairmaire), an invasive beetle that attacks all native species of ash trees, was first detected in Michigan in the summer of 2002. This wood-boring insect is native to China and eastern Asia, and likely first arrived in the U.S. on solid wood packaging materials used to protect commercial goods during shipment. Infestations have since been discovered in eleven states and parts of Canada. It was first discovered in Pennsylvania in Butler County near the Ohio border in 2007. More recently, it has found its way into Mifflin and Westmoreland counties.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) has been working with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Forest Service, and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to monitor this insect for some time and has instituted a ban on the transportation of firewood into the Commonwealth, which is believed to be its most likely method of long-distance spread. Quarantines are implemented on all ash materials in a nine-county area where the emerald ash borer has been discovered. Also, no hardwood firewood may be transported out of the quarantine area. Despite these efforts, it will likely prove impossible to keep this insect out of our Pennsylvania forests.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The PA Forestry Association, through its Tree Farm Committee, and the PDA have teamed up to alert all Tree Farmers in the state about this new pest in our forests and to develop information that will be helpful in detecting and responding to the emerald ash borer. Tree Farmers are well placed to aid in the detection of this invasive insect and for taking action to reduce its impact by working with Service Foresters to determine strategies for managing woodlots with significant quantities of ash. Ash is a favored species for urban forestry uses, especially the seedless varieties. PA Tree Farmers can serve as a significant monitoring force through the state in detecting the presence of this nefarious tree killer.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The Emerald ash borer is only known to attack and reproduce successfully in ash trees in North America. All native species of ash are susceptible except mountain ash which is not in the genus Fraxinus. Emerald ash borer has a 99.2 percent mortality rate on infested trees. Affected trees often exhibit branch dieback that initially appears in the upper crown. Epicormic branches may sprout on the trunk and main branches of the tree and chlorotic (yellow) foliage are also indicative of a possible infestation. It is important to note that these symptoms may be due to other stressors, such as ash yellows (caused by a Protoplasm vectored by Homopterans), ash anthracnose, ash decline, or ash root rot. Additional signs of larval infestation include vertical bark splits and signs of woodpecker feeding on the trunk of trees. Trees usually die within three years of initial infestation regardless of age, tree vigor, or ash species.

DETECTION EFFORTS

PDA survey crews have hung purple-panel sticky traps resembling kites in ash trees in a large number of counties in an effort to detect the insect. The traps contain a blended lure of manuka and phoebe oils, which mimics chemicals emitted by stresses ash trees. If you suspect that your ash trees have been infested by the Emerald ash borer, please call the PDA toll free hotline 1-866-253-7189 or send an email to Badbug@state.pa.us. Survey crews will be dispatched to investigate credible reports. The survey crews will have state identification and fluorescent vests printed with EMERALD ASH BORER PROGRAM and will be driving vehicles identified with magnetic placards.