SPONSORED BY HASKELL TREE SERVICE AND KGRAPHICS.BIZ
Samuel Berg
Have you seen the purple triangular tubes along the roadways throughout the area? They are used as monitoring equipment for the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an introduced insect that will be the end of the American Ash in the North East as we know them. EAB was introduced to Michigan from shipping crates and pallets from Eastern Russia and Northeastern China. The EAB has spread through; Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and now a infestation has been reported in Cattaraugus County. The purple traps are part of a monitoring program to track the progression of the insect identifying the leading edge of it progress. EAB adults emerge from infected trees in mid May to late June to find a mate, re-infect trees and find new trees to infect laying their eggs on the bark between June and July. The larva then burrow into the tree to feed and spend the winter months, disrupting the vascular tissue of the tree, repeating the cycle next year. EAB can cause failure of healthy Ash Trees in 3 to 5 years. The EAB doesn’t just target weak trees but healthy ones as well, making the EAB a very devastating insect in our landscape.
“What can you do as an informed homeowner?” Home owners should be aware of the progression of EAB in their area. Current maps are available of your area through www.emeraldashborer.info. Studies have shown that there are effective treatments for the EAB, however all are not equal, the age and size of the tree will determine the best treatment strategy. Tree health is paramount and will offer a good foundation for the long term future of any tree under management. A licensed Arborist is a great place to start, offering several management strategies based on your particular Ash trees and your budget.
Samuel Berg is a licensed Arborist with Haskell Tree Service, for more information call (716) 655-3359.
Emerald ash borer (EAB), 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 probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, and Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in summer 2008. Since its discovery, EAB has:
• Killed tens of millions of ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Virginia, Ontario, and Quebec.
• Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs.
• Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars.
for more info, click here