Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Not Found in Iowa Yet, Iowa Citizens Asked to Prepare
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AMES, Iowa -- The status of Emerald ash borer in Iowa may not be cause for concern yet. However, several measures are already in place to track the insect and prevent its impact on Iowa’s estimated 65 million ash trees, according to researchers at Iowa State University. Iowa citizens are asked to help prepare.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has not currently been found in Iowa. The closest known confirmed infestation is Peru, Ill., approximately 85 miles from the Quad Cities. The likelihood of EAB entering Iowa is high, but the timing can be slowed by measures state and federal agencies are already taking to limit the spread of the insect. At this time, states with known EAB infestation include Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
A collaboration of agencies including Iowa State University Extension, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Iowa Department of Natural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection Quarantine (PPQ), and USDA Forest Service are working to prevent the introduction of EAB in the state.
Adult EAB insects can fly two or more miles between ash trees. EAB is spread to non-infested areas from the transportation of infested firewood, ash branches, ash logs, and nursery stock. To slow the spread of EAB, the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association has a voluntary moratorium on ash nursery stock east of the Mississippi River. However, nonparticipating companies and private citizens could unknowingly bring EAB into Iowa on ash trees purchased out of state. In 2007, an Indiana shipment of 80 ash trees was blocked by IDALS. The USDA has quarantined the infested states to prevent movement of potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood out of EAB areas.
Adult EAB beetles have a small and slender dark, metallic, emerald green body and feed on ash leaves, cutting small notches out of the leaflet. The larvae, creamy white, legless, one-inch long flattened ‘worms’, are the culprits for ash tree deaths. Larvae feed under the bark and cut off the tree’s internal plumbing, which supplies nutrients, minerals, and water to the tree, eventually killing the tree.
EAB is a cause for concern because of its ability to kill healthy ash trees within two to four years after infestation. All types of ash trees are hosts for EAB. While the beetles are more likely to infest stressed or damaged trees, EAB will also attack healthy trees. The size of the tree does not matter; EAB can kill seedling ash trees as well as trees with trunks exceeding two feet in diameter.
Iowa State University and collaborative partners have spent the past five years looking for EAB in Iowa. Fortunately, surveillance data collected using visual surveys, sentinel trees, and experimental traps revealed EAB has not been found in Iowa, according to Mark Shour, ISU Extension Entomologist.
Monitoring plans for 2008 include revisiting sawmills and wood product sites, inspecting ornamental plant nursery operations, visual surveys in high risk sites like federal, state, and county campgrounds, bark-peeling 400 sentinel trees, and participating in two national USDA PPQ trapping programs, said Shour.
There are several things Iowa citizens can do to help prepare in the event of an infestation of this damaging insect pest. Identify the ash trees and other tree species on your property and within your community. An easy to use tree identification key is available at www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/tree/.
Keep your trees healthy by protecting them from injuries from lawn mowers, string trimmers, construction projects, and vehicle parking on root zone. Also, water trees during dry periods.
Be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of EAB activity including thinning and dieback of ash tree branches, D-shaped exit holes in the bark, and S-shaped tunnels under the bark where the larvae feed. Also, look for small, dark, metallic green adult beetles seen on tree trunks or flying near ash trees.
When buying firewood for camping, heating or hunting purposes be sure to buy from local vendors to prevent the introduction of EAB infested firewood.
“At this time, there is no need for insecticide treatments for emerald ash borer anywhere in Iowa as any application is a waste of time, money and resources,” said Shour. “Once EAB is confirmed 30-40 miles from where you live, preventive treatments should be considered.”
For questions or to report any suspect ash trees or beetles contact ISU Extension Entomology (515) 294-1101 or the State Entomologist’s Office (515) 725-1470.
For more information about the emerald ash borer, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/pme/EmeraldAshBorer.html or www.emeraldashborer.info.
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- Full story: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2008/jul/422301.htm
- from Iowa State University Extension - News