Emerald Ash Borer Control Treatment

NEW PEST ALERT: EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB)

A beetle native to Asia was first detected in Michigan in 2002. Since then it has migrated east to our area. It was discovered in York County, PA in 2015. The beetle is responsible for the loss of tens of millions of trees across 20 states.

The beetle is known to infest all species of ash in North America. Eggs are laid on the bark and larvae hatch in about one week boring into the phloem tissue of the tree. They continue to feed on the tree for one year.

After infestation, death to the tree may not appear for up to three years. Dieback of branches progresses to entire death of the tree. Many trees may lose 30 to 50 percent of their branches in one year. Environmental stresses such as drought may accelerate a trees death.

What can you do? Thankfully there is a very effective treatment regimen. We recommend a noninvasive basal trunk treatment with a systemic insecticide. This treatment entails spraying the trunk of the tree from the ground to about 5 feet up. The treatment needs to be applied once a year from late April through late May. We anticipate the insect being very destructive for a period of at least ten years.

Please contact us if you have any questions or to request a consultation.