Tree Care MN | Emerald Ash Borer Part 1

 Multiple Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Infestations Found in Minneapolis & St Paul MN
Emerald Ash Borer is now one of the most destructive non-native insects in the United States, having killed tens of millions of ash trees in 18 states. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area has one of the largest populations (998 million) of ash trees in the country. Its confirmed presence is something you need to take very seriously! The increase of the rate of tree mortality is rapidly growing, so you can’t afford to lose any time in dealing with it.
Emerald ash borer is the worst thing to hit Minnesota trees in our lifetime. The potential damage of this insect rivals that of Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm Disease. Minnesota is a prime target because we have so many susceptible ash trees.

Emerald Ash Borer on the move again in Minnesota!

Now multiple new EAB Infestations have been found in the Twin Cities.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed three new emerald ash borer (EAB) infestations, one in Minneapolis, and two in St. Paul. The Minneapolis find is in Lakewood Cemetery near the intersection of King’s Highway and 38^th Street. The St. Paul finds are near the intersection of Lexington Parkway and Jessamine Avenue, and along Pig’s Eye Lake Road east across the Mississippi River from the St. Paul Downtown Airport.
On January 29, 30 and 31 the Minnesota Department of Agriculture followed up on suspected EAB infested trees reported by the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board Forestry Department and the St. Paul City Forestry Unit. The sites were discovered due to the presence of ash trees with woodpecker feeding, which is a good external symptom of insect activity. The trees were confirmed as EAB-infested by removing sections of bark to reveal the insects distinctive “S” shaped tunneling on the surface of the wood. MDA Officials say finding such infested trees in the winter is far easier when the branches and trunk are exposed, compared to during the summer when the leaves can disguise the symptoms.
The discovery of these new sites is very upsetting, but it is worth noting that all three sites remain contained within the existing metro quarantine of Ramsey and Hennepin counties. It is also encouraging that these cities have staff with sufficient expertise to identify infestations before tree decline is evident.
Both cities are aggressively working to limit damage from EAB and discovering new infestations is a key component of that effort.
The biggest risk of spreading EAB comes from people unknowingly moving firewood or other ash products harboring larvae. Firewood can harbor many different kinds of invasive pests that are harmful to Minnesota trees. Firewood restrictions are needed to help prevent the introduction or spread of damaging forest pests including emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, and oak wilt.
Pests can be in, on, or under the bark or in the wood!

Adult Emerald Ash Borer

Damaged ash trees cut down

EAB in Firewood

EAB in Wood

EAB Larva

Root sprouts and crown dieback are indicators of infestation

There are a few easy steps Minnesotans can take to keep EAB from spreading:

• Don’t transport firewood. Buy it where you burn it, and burn all of it where you buy it.
  

• Don’t buy firewood from outside Minnesota. Anytime you buy firewood, ask about the source of the wood. If it came from outside Minnesota, don’t buy it.
  

• Keep an eye on your ash trees for infestation. Become knowledgeable about recognizing EAB and remain vigilant to the condition of your ash trees. If you think your ash tree is infested, contact a Minnesota tree care service right away with a certified arborist on staff.  These arborists can come out to inspect your tree and help you determine the cause of the problem as well as potential solutions.
  

• If you live in a quarantined county, be aware of the restrictions on movement of products such as ash trees, ash limbs and branches, ash stumps and roots, ash logs, ash lumber, ash chips and ash bark chips, and Firewood of any hardwood (deciduous) species. Firewood means wood cut to lengths less than four feet long.  This includes firewood cut for personal use.
  

The EAB quarantine in Minnesota consists of the counties of Hennepin, Houston, Ramsey, and Winona. Details can be found online at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
If you are planning to remove an ash tree or pruning an ash tree, this is the time of year to do it because the beetle is not active, as opposed to doing it in the summertime when you could unknowingly move the beetle around. That’s one of the things you definitely do not want to do.