Emerald Ash Borer - New York Invasive Species Information

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, bugwood.org 

Emerald Ash Borer: 

An Introduction 

Preparing for the Emerald Ash Borer 

http://nyis.info/eab

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org 

EAB Basics 

The Emerald Ash Borer is a 

small green beetle whose 

larva feed on the living 

tissue of ash trees between 

the bark and the wood. 

No ash tree is safe from EAB. 

Unless precautions are 

taken, ALL ASH TREES WILL 

BE KILLED BY THE EMERALD 

ASH BORER. 

James W. Smith, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org 



What does this mean 

• 1 in 14 trees in New York is an ash tree 

• Thousands of ash line our trees, shade our parks 

and fill our public spaces. 

• Thousands more dot our home landscapes 

• Millions can be found in our woodlots and along our 

rivers and streams. 

EAB puts all 

of these trees 

in danger. 





Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural 

Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org 

Result 

When Emerald Ash Borer infest an ash, there is 

only one result unless that ash is treated. 



The EAB in North America 

• First recognized as a problem near Detroit, 

MI in 2002 

• Established in mid 1990’s 

• Hitchhiked in wood packing material 

• Has spread to 15 states 

and 2 Provinces 

• Movement by: 

– Firewood 

– Nursery stock 

– And flight 


http://nyis.info/eab 

Howard Russell, 

Michigan State University, 

Bugwood.org

December 2006 



October 2009 



August 2012 



Emerald Ash Borer Impact 



No untreated ash materials can be 

moved from these areas 



EAB Life cycle 

Eggs 

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, forestryimages.org 

Adults lay eggs in 

mid to late June 

Eggs laid on bark 

surface, cracks 

Hatch in 7 to 10 

days 

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org 

Larvae 


Larva – four instars- 301 to 315 days- June - April 

“nested bells” appearance of body segments 

“S” shaped feeding pattern 




Pre pupa 


Pupa 


Pupa – about 28 days: May 



Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org 


“D” shaped emergence holes 



Adult – female lives 21 to 25 days: 

May and early June 

2-3 week maturation feeding on leaves 

Female lays 60 to 90 eggs 



What to look for: 

Signs of EAB 

• “D” shaped exit hole 

• “S” galleries under the 

bark (or larvae) 

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org 

David R. McKay, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org 



Symptoms of EAB 

Woodpecker foraging 



What to look for: Symptoms of EAB 

Bark splitting 



Signs & Symptoms 

Epicormic, or water sprouts 



Symptoms of EAB 

Canopy thinning- smaller leaves and leaflets 



Tree death generally 

takes 2 to 3 years. 

Infestations in the 

Midwest are lasting 

for up to 11–12 years. 



We want to SLow Ash Mortality- SLAM 

Through: 

–Surveying and Early Detection 

– Visual signs and symptoms 

– Purple traps and girdled trees 

– then Population Reduction 

• Remove infested trees and destroy EAB 

• Create clusters of girdled trees to attract 

female EAB 

– They are removed and destroyed after egg laying 



Tactics 

Long Term 

• Resistance 

– ID and incorporate genetically into native species 

• Just getting started 

• Biological Controls 

– Parasitoid wasps in culture (Asian and native). 

Fungus a possibility 

Infested Trees 

• Mechanical 

– whole tree removal or chipping to 1 inch in 2 dimensions of infested 

trees (or removing the bark outer ½ of wood, interior wood is still 

useable) 

• Insecticides 

– Systemic Insecticides are the only truly effective EAB insecticides 



Community 

Trees 

Think of this 

as your community. 

Each of these purple 

dots is an ash tree. 

• What are your 

options 

• Who will be 

impacted by your 

management 

decisions 



Tree Management Option 1: Remove 

– Street tree removal 

Range of $150 to $2000 + per 

tree 

• Size of tree, condition of tree, 

location of tree, and contractor 

versus staff all affect price. 

– Residential Trees can be even 

more 

– In forests, conduct a timber or 

firewood harvest 

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural 

Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org 



Tree Management Option 2: Insecticides 

Issue one- different types of insecticides: 

– Effectiveness/appropriateness of 

individual chemicals depends on 

pest pressure at each location. 

• Depending on your distance from an 

infestation, and the size of that infestation there are 

different recommendations. See http://www.nyis.info/eab 

for maps and recommendations 

– Generally, there is less risk to your ash tree if it is more than 10 

miles from an infestation zone. 

– Effectiveness of insecticides vary 

• Imidacloprid – only non-professional chemical registered 

• Emamectin benzoate (Tree-age) – most effective, can kill EAB in 

an already infested tree (up to 40% infested) 

• Azadirachtin (TreeAzin) – neem seed product, new, inconclusive 

– Insecticides have different application frequencies 



Tree Management Option 2: Insecticides 

• Issue2 : Condition of 

Tree – ineffective spread of 

systemic insecticides to the 

crown of old and structurally 

damaged trees 

Is this the tree 

you intend to 

save 



Tree Management Option 3: Do Nothing 

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org 

There is the option of not 

removing or treating 

trees. In forested and 

unused areas this is a 

fine option. Removing 

all of the ash trees 

from an area will not 

protect other ash 

trees. 




For street trees, park 

trees, and yard trees 

this is not an option. 

Dead ash trees are a 

public safety issue. 

Dead ash trees lose 

their limbs which can 

cause damage to people 

and property. 



Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org


In utility right of ways and along rural roads, ash 

trees are a liability, but that human safety 

liability may be lower based on exact location. 

But, there are 

still costs 

associated 

with clearing 

debris from roads 

and wires. 

Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org 



Woodlot Ash Trees 

Now is the time to think about what you have and 

what you want to do 

• What are your goals 

• Utilization: 

• lumber 

• firewood 

• Recreation: 

• dead ash could be 

a safety hazard 

• What do you have Are they big enough/good enough 

to be used 



Woodlot Management 

• Don’t need to remove all ash trees 

– Won’t slow down EAB once infestation starts 

growing 

• Don’t have hasty harvests 

– Could have 10+ more years of growth 

Leah Bauer, USDA FS NRS, Bugwood.org 



Woodlot 

Management 

• Don’t sacrifice other 

trees, or take trees 

not included in your 

plan, just to justify a 

timber sale. 

It may not be worth 

it. 

• Work with a Forester 

– take inventory 

– write a plan 



Chili Site - John Gibbs, NYS DEC

Community Trees: How do you decide 

what to do 

• Where are your ash trees What is their 

condition 

– Which ones will be a hazard. 

– Locate the closest infestations 

• What are the costs to remove vs. treat 

(or a combination) 

• Consider the impact of each scenario on the your 

home, community or landscape 

• What are your long term goals for your property 

• What are your community’s long term goals 



Management Considerations- Pest 

Pressure 

Pest Pressure is a critical factor in management decisions: 

• The number of individual bugs attacking a tree 

determines: 

– How quickly a tree will be killed 

– Rate of spread (the more insects the faster it will be) 

• Base Your Treatment Decisions on Pest Pressure 

– Timing of management decisions 

– Pesticide effectiveness varies 

• Remember that Pest Detection is difficult at low 

Pest Pressure 



Tiers and Management 

• Tier I- Small Infestation 

– Do not apply insecticides until the leading edge of the 

EAB infestation is within 1 mile of your tree 

– Now is the time to inventory, assess, and plan 

• Tier II- Mid- Size Infestation 

– Do not apply until EAB infestation is within 5 miles 

– Consider implementing your plan 

• Tier III- Large Infestation 

– Do not apply until EAB infestation is within 10 miles 

– Consider immediate plan implementation 



No untreated ash materials can be 

moved from these areas 



Impact of EAB 

St. Paul, MN Ash Removal- Minn. Public Radio, Nov 2009 



Impact of EAB 

St. Paul, MN Ash Removal- Minn. Public Radio, Nov 2009 



What can you do to NOW help Ash Trees 

• Slow the Spread- Don’t Move Firewood 

• Serve on an EAB Community Preparedness Planning 

committee to make decisions for your community. 

• Help Conduct Community Tree Inventories 

• Monitor for EAB 

• Report Suspicious Sightings 

– Local CCE Office http://www.cce.cornell.edu/ 

– DEC Hotline (866)640-0652 

– http://beetledetectives.com/ 

• Collect Ash Tree Seed 

http://www.nsl.fs.fed.us/geneticconservation_ash.html 

• Educate Yourself and Your Friends and Neighbors 



LOCAL EAB Task Forces 

A place for local experts and volunteers to 

gather and develop local EAB response plans 

• EAB Task Forces can 

– Educate the public 

– Provide a forum for local resource identification 

and sharing 

– Coordinate and train volunteers 

• Inventory, monitor, and educate 



More Assistance 

• CCE New York Invasive Species Information 

Web Site: www.nyis.info 

• Cornell Cooperative Extension: 

www.cce.cornell.edu 

• NYS Department of Environmental 

Conservation: www.dec.ny.gov 

• NYS Agriculture and Markets: 

www.agmkt.state.ny.us/PI/eab.html 



Thoughtful solutions result in a better outcome. 

We may not be able to stop it right now, but we 

can Slow The Spread 



Credits 

NYS EAB Web Site: http://nyis.info/eab 

• Presentation prepared by 

– Rebecca Hargrave, Horticulture and Natural Resources 

Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of 

Chenango County, jrh45@cornell.edu, and 

– Mark Whitmore, Forest Entomologist with Cornell 

University Department of Natural Resources 

mcw42@cornell.edu 

• Funded by USDA/APHIS and 

Cornell University 

July 26, 2012

Emerald Ash Borer - New York Invasive Species Information

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