Emerald Ash Borer is a small green invasive wood boring beetle that attacks and kills ash trees. The adults live on the outside of ash trees feeding on the leaves during the summer months. The larvae look similar to white grubs and feed on the living plant tissue (phloem and cambium) underneath the bark of ash trees. The trees are killed by the tunneling activity of the larvae under the tree’s bark, which disrupts the vascular flow. The metallic green beetle is native to East Asia and was imported to the United States within the wood of shipping crates from China. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was first discovered in North America near Detroit, Michigan in 2002. Since the first discovery it has also been found in over 18 states and Canada. Research has shown that EAB can only fly a few miles, which helps slow its natural spread. However, it is easily transported to new areas when people inadvertently move emerald ash borer larvae inside of infested firewood, ash nursery stock, and other ash items. Please do not move firewood from infested areas into non-infested areas.
Emerald Ash Borer Facts:
- Adults are typically bright metallic green in color.
- Female EAB’s can lay up to 200 eggs.
- Eggs are laid in bark crevices or cracks and hatch after 2 weeks. Larvae chew through the bark to the phloem and cambium layers and feed creating serpentine tunnels which effectively girdle the tree.
- In the Fall, larvae develop into pupae and become adults the following spring. Adults exit a tree by chewing a characteristic “D-shaped” hole in the bark.