Emerald Ash Borer Prevention

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is at the moment threatening more than 7.5 billion ash trees in the United States and Canada. Emerald Ash Borer Prevention is therefor very much in the mid of everybody who has these kind of trees growing on their land. To understand how this kind of infestation can be prevented, it is necessary to understand first what it actually is.

The EAB is an invasive beetle species that originates from Asia. It has made its first appearance in North America beginning of the 21st century and is spreading fast. The insect lays its eggs in the crevasses of the bark. When the eggs hatch the larvae burrow through the bark to the soft tissue (phloem and cambium) that nourish the tree. As they devour this tissue, less and less water and nutrients can be transported from the roots to the rest of the tree, finally killing it through girdling. It can take several years from infestation to visible damage, making it difficult to diagnose and prevent.

Emerald Ash Borer Prevention is necessary for all ash trees that are situated in or close to affected areas. So the first step to determine the level of danger is to know if an infestation has been reported nearby, in around 15 miles distance or less. If that is the case a preventive treatment is strongly recommended.

This kind of treatment consists typically of two phases, soil and trunk treatment. In the first phase, in April, the soil around the trees is treated with an insecticide, fertilizer and a root stimulant. In Mai or June follows the second phase that consists of injecting an insecticide directly in the bark of the trees. If this prevention schedule is repeated for at least 4 to 5 years, chances are good that minor infestations are stopped in the onset and loss of trees can be avoided completely.