Emerald Ash Borer Now in 15 States
Tagged as: EAB, ash trees, Emerald Ash Borer
Officials continue to confirm additional infestations of the Emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive pest that has left tens of millions of ash trees dead in the United States. Fifteen states now reporting infestations are: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Throughout Illinois, EAB infestations have already been located in several counties. State officials have been compiling a list of infested locations.
EAB Detection Strategies
The Morton Arboretum led the way with a "trap tree" program to detect EAB. In this method, trees that are in decline or put into stress are check for the borers. Additionally, federal and state officials have used "traps" to search for evidence of the borers.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Quarantine Zone remains in place
State officials are maintaining 25 Emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine sites, which includes all or parts of 18 confirmed infested counties in northern and central Illinois.
"We must do all we can to limit the artificial spread of this devastating pest," Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said.
The zone boundaries include the entire counties of Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, Putnam, Will, and Winnebago. The zone also includes eastern portions of Ogle, Lee, and Bureau counties, along with the northwest portion of Livingston County. View a map of the new boundaries. [PDF. Download free Adobe Reader to view.]
Also, officials imposed a new regulation to combat the spread of EAB - requiring waste haulers to cover products from an infested area during transport in the EAB "flight season," which runs from June through August.
Federal Quarantine Zones
Late in 2006, the federal government quarantined hardwood in the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, which means no hardwood can be moved out of these states without a permit.
EAB Control
There are commercially-available insecticides promoted for EAB control. Some have shown promise. The Morton Arboretum does not endorse any insecticide for control of Emerald ash borer, but urges consumers to consider all factors before deciding how to proceed. Forest managers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states soon will enlist wasps to help control EAB. Officials in Michigan and Indiana have already deployed the wasps.
Advice to Homeowners
Familiarize yourself with the proper identification of ash trees and the EAB. If you believe you have spotted an Emerald ash borer or evidence of EAB infestation, contact a city forester, county cooperative extension service, or the Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic. If you've lost an ash tree to EAB, the Arboretum Plant Clinic can help you select an alternative tree species as a replacement.
Advice to Municipal Foresters
The Morton Arboretum has been instrumental in crafting a plan for cities to prepare for and manage an EAB infestation. We suggest the following steps for city foresters: conduct a Public Education Campaign by helping homeowners understand what an ash tree and EAB look like; inventory community trees; create future planting strategies; contact local firewood dealers to ensure that they are not importing firewood; work with The Morton Arboretum to set up "trap trees" to detect the borer's presence; and properly remove and destroy infested ash trees, according to the guidelines of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
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