Are You Ready for the Emerald Ash Borer

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Are You Ready for the Emerald Ash Borer?
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Prepared by Carl F. Hoffman
Horticulturist University of MN Extension Benton
Stearns Counties 3400 1st Street North, Suite
103 St. Cloud, MN 56303 office
320-255-6169 e-mail hoffm072_at_umn.edu
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What is the Emerald Ash Borer?

• A metallic wood-boring beetle (Agrilus
  planipennis)
• 1/3 1/2 inch long
• Native to eastern Asia probably brought to U.S.
  in ash crating or pallets
• Feeds on and kills ash trees
• Related to Bronze Birch Borer and Two
  Lined Chestnut Borer

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Native wood-boring beetles
Attack stressed and diseased trees
Two lined Chestnut Borer (Agrilus bilineatus)
Bronze Birch Borer (Agrilus anxius)
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Sometimes confused with six-spotted tiger beetle
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Larvae are called flat-headed
borers
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Life history of EAB

• Adults emerge in mid-May
• D-shaped exit holes
• Adults live 2-4 weeks - may eat small
  amounts of foliage
• Eggs are laid on bark of ash trees - one
  female lays about 75 eggs
• Hatch in about a week
• Larvae tunnel under bark and feed

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Life history of EAB (cont.)

• Overwinter as mature larvae
• Short pupation period before emergence

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Which trees does EAB attack?

• All species of ash (Fraxinus spp.)
• Healthy trees as well as stressed or diseased
  trees
• Attacks ash as small as ½ inch
  caliper to mature trees

White ash
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How does EAB kill ash trees?

• Trees are killed as the larvae feed
  beneath the bark
• The conducting tissue in cambium
  layer are destroyed
• Infested trees will usually die within 1 to 3
  years of being attacked

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What are the symptoms of EAB attack?
D-shaped exit holes
Crown dieback
Epicormic branches
Woodpecker feeding
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Should Minnesotans be concerned?

• Identified in Michigan in July 2002
• Found in Chicago area June 2006
• Has killed over 20 million ash trees

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How is EAB spread?
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What can we do?
Dont Move Firewood!

• Dont transport firewood to campgrounds or parks
• Use firewood from local sources
• Dont bring firewood home with you!
• Burn all of it before leaving campground

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What can we do? (cont)

• Dont transport ash logs across state lines
• Know State and Federal regulations for your own
  State and those you may visit
• Be vigilant and spread the word

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What is being done in MN?

• Monitoring high risk sites (park and
  campgrounds)
• Detection difficult until crown dieback is
  conspicuous
• Trap trees

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Management Plans

• Eradication of ash if/when EAB is found
• Preventative insecticides in quarantined
  area
• Legislation restricting transportation
  of firewood

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Be Vigilant!
EAB may have been active 10-12 years in Michigan
and 3-4 years in Chicago before detection
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What if you believe you have an EAB infested
tree?

• Double check for symptoms
• Contact Minnesota Dept of Agriculture
• 651-201-MOTH (6684) or
• 1-888-545-MOTH (6684)

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For more information visit USDA at
www.emeraldashborer.infoor call 1-866-EAB-4512
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For local information visit Minnesota Department
of Ag athttp//www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pest
management/eab.htm
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Thank you to the following people for
information and visuals used in this presentation
Jeffrey Hahn Dept. of Entomology and University
of Minnesota Extension Scott Liudahl City
Forester - Fargo, ND