Pests

Treatment/Control:

The emerald ash borer is a non-native pest that is rapidly spreading throughout North America. Eradication efforts to eliminate this pest have failed and we now know that EAB will likely naturalize and be an ongoing threat to ash trees. Land owners will now need to decided wether to proactively treat or remove their ash trees.

Recent studies on population biology of EAB indicate that within five years of the initial infestation, the population of the insect crashes due to the destruction of food sources. So the population falls in previously infested areas as the insects move on to non-infested regions. Ash trees that were treated and protected from the initial infestation are now less likely to succumb to this destructive pest. Therefore, the hope is that the management of emerald ash borer will be much like the management of more familiar borers like the Bronze Birch Borer

Although there are many treatment options for the control of EAB, Knowles Municipal Forestry recommends micro injections of TREE-age (Emamectin Benzoate) . Independent university trials have consistently shown this product to be the most effective in controlling EAB. Effective and environmentally friendly treatments are ensured by applying this product directly into the trunk of the tree. Please contact Knowles Municipal Forestry for emerald ash borer treatment programs and pricing.