What is an Emerald Ash Borer?

You’ve likely heard of the Emerald Ash Borer. This pest is devastating trees across the eastern half of North America. Read on to learn about these invasive insects and what signs to watch for on your land.

Has EAB infested your ash trees? Contact our tree removal team in the Twin Cities area at (763) 568-3007. If you’re closer to the Brainerd Lakes area, call (800) 630-2960. Either way, you can send a contact form straight to our email.

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Ash tree removal via crane, after infestation of Emerald Ash Borer.

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About the Emerald Ash Borer

History

The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect native to Eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. It was first identified in the United States in 2002 and is thought to have traveled here on wood packing materials and pallets.

Most of their life cycle is spent under the bark of infested trees. They lay between 40 and 200 eggs in the bark, which hatch into white-colored larvae within two weeks. The larvae tunnel along the tree below the bark and feed on the tree. They dig chambers in the outer bark to winter in and drill small round holes to emerge as adults in the spring.

They travel between adjacent trees and on firewood to new locations.

Appearance

As their name suggests, Emerald Ash Borers are a bright emerald green as adults. They are slim insects that grow to nearly the length of a penny, almost half an inch long. Unlike some look-alike beetles, they don’t have a clear division between abdominal sections. Their heads are typically darker than the rest of their bodies.

What’s the big deal with the Emerald Ash Borer?

A Harmful Tree Pest

The Emerald Ash Borer is believed to have spread to at least 22 states and 2 Canadian provinces across the eastern half of the continent. They are credited with killing millions of North American ash trees and can attack healthy and weakened trees.

Minnesota has nearly 1 billion vulnerable ash trees, so the state has taken the problem very seriously. Emerald Ash Borers are a significant reason why most campgrounds and parks have regulations about the firewood you can bring.

Identifying Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

Unfortunately, once a tree is showing signs of Emerald Ash Borer infestation, it means it probably only has one to three years left. However, identifying infested trees can be helpful for keeping other trees safe.

Woodpeckers can be something of a “canary in the coal mine” for borer infestation, as they will frequently dig into the bark of infested trees to feed on borer larvae. These trees become covered in light-colored flecking from the woodpeckers removing outer bark.

Other signs you may notice are the thinning of the tree’s crown and sprouts growing out of the trunk near the base.

Call Wilderness Land Clearing

Has EAB infested your ash trees? Contact our tree removal team in the Twin Cities area at (763) 568-3007. If you’re closer to the Brainerd Lakes area, call (800) 630-2960. Either way, you can send a contact form straight to our email.

Request EAB Tree Removal