Emerald Ash Borer

Is EAB in your state?

What Do You Do if Your Ash Tree is Infested with Emerald Ash Borer?

With 14 states and two Canadian provinces now infested with emerald ash borer, it's no wonder property owners are worried. One of the most frequent questions is "What can I do if my ash tree is infested with emerald ash borer?"

To help answer the question, researchers and specialists from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois developed a publication for property owners that addresses various methods to treat ash trees for the pest. Available for viewing here, "Insecticide Options for Protecting Ash Trees from Emerald Ash Borer" offers comprehensive guidelines.

For a hard copy of this publication, call 517-353-6740 at Michigan State University, and ask for bulletin number E3075.

And please remember – Don't Move Firewood! If You Must Move It, Burn It Completely Before You Leave Your Destination.

Let's keep this pest from killing North America's ash tree resource.

For additional information on emerald ash borer treatment information, check out this link on the website: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/treatment.cfm.

Select a state/province to learn more about EAB.

Emerald Ash Borer
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, Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in summer 2008, and Minnesota, New York, and Kentucky in the spring of 2009. Since its discovery, EAB has:

Killed tens of millions of ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Kentucky) 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.

The Top Six Things People Should Know about Dealing with Emerald Ash Borer

Make sure it is an ash tree. Here's a good page of resources: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/identifyashtree.cfm
Know what and emerald ash borer looks like, in comparison to other insects: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/E2944.pdf
Know the signs and symptoms of emerald ash borer infestation: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/E-2938.pdf
How to protect (or save) your ash trees: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/treatment.cfm
Who to contact about the possibility of having EAB in your ash tree, especially if you live in a state that has few, or no, infestations known: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/call.cfm
If you are thinking about moving firewood, here's where you can learn if it's allowed or not: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/firewood.cfm

New Strategy Being Developed to Deal With Emerald Ash Borer

Research is being conducted at universities, as well, to understand the beetle's life cycle and find ways to detect new infestations, control EAB adults and larvae, and contain the infestation.
Quarantines are in place to prevent infested ash firewood, logs or nursery trees from being transported and starting new infestations.

This Web site provides information from Michigan State University, Purdue University, the Ohio State University, the Michigan and Ohio departments of Agriculture; the Michigan, Indiana and Ohio departments of Natural Resources; the USDA Forest Service; the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Our goal is to help you find answers to your questions about EAB. We also provide links to other EAB-related Web sites. Please check this site often because information changes frequently.

What to know about EAB:

It attacks only ash trees (Fraxinus spp.).
Adult Beetles are metallic green and about 1/2-inch long.
Adults leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark when they emerge in spring.
Woodpeckers like EAB larvae; heavy woodpecker damage on ash trees may be a sign of infestation.
Firewood cannot be moved in many areas of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin because of the EAB quarantine.
It probably came from Asia in wood packing material.

If you suspect you may have EAB in your ash trees, call these numbers:

Michigan — 1-866-325-0023
Connecticut — The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at 1-203-974-8440
Illinois — Contact your county Extension office. The Illinois Department of Agriculture also will offer a toll-free hotline at 1-800-641-3934 for extension-confirmed infestations
Indiana — 1-866-NO-EXOTIC
Iowa — 1-515-294-5963
Kansas — 1-785-862-2180
Kentucky — 1-859-257-5838
Maryland — University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center — 1-800-342-2507 or the Maryland Department of Agriculture — 1-410-841-5920
Minnesota — 1-888-545-6684 (Arrest-the-Pest Hotline)
Missouri — 1-866-716-9974
New York — 1-866-640-0652
Ohio — 1-888-OHIO-EAB
Pennsylvania — 1-866-253-7189
Virginia — The Forest Pest Branch of Fairfax County at 1-703-324-5304, the Arlington Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension at 1-703-228-6423 or 1-703-228-6400, or the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-804-786-3515
West Virginia — 1-304-254-2941
Wisconsin — 1-800-462-2803
USDA APHIS — 1-866-322-4512
Canada — 1-866-463-6017

Scientists are studying methods of controlling EAB. The latest information on insecticide evaluations can help homeowners, arborists and landscapers decide if and how they can treat trees for EAB in certain areas in southeastern Michigan.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the emerald ash borer's discovery in 2002, research has been ongoing to develop tools to control and eliminate this pest. Currently, there are a number of treatments available for use by homeowners or tree care professionals that can provide a varying degree of beetle control. A review of all options is recommended, as well as knowing the regulations regarding EAB quarantines and eradication strategies for your area. Contact your state department of agriculture for more EAB regulatory information. As more methods of EAB control are developed, more information will be available. References to commercial products or trade names do not imply endorsement by the entities supplying the information, or bias against those not mentioned. Reprinting of any material on this site cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company.