Our crews are busy inoculating trees against the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) this week. So we thought it might be handy for you to know how to identify if your trees may be suffering from an EAB infestation!

ABOUT THE EMERALD ASH BORERS

Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer most likely arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material in cargo ships or airplanes originating in Asia. As of May 2018, it is now found in 33 states and Canada.

3 SIGNS YOUR ASH TREES ARE INFESTED

1. You can see D-shaped emergence holes: As adults emerge from under the bark they create a D-shaped emergence hole that is about 1/8 inch in diameter. An example of this is shown below.
2. You peel back the bark to find S-shaped larval galleries: As larvae feed under the bark they wind back and forth, creating galleries that are packed with larva poop and sawdust and follow a serpentine pattern. An example of this is shown below.

3. Larvae: Larvae are cream-colored, slightly flattened (dorso-ventrally) and have pincher-like appendages (urogomphi) at the end of their abdomen. By the time larvae are done growing they are 1 1/2 inches long. Larvae are found feeding beneath the bark.