The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that is devastating ash trees across the Midwest. This devastating insect has been found in Atchison, Doniphan, Douglas, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Shawnee, and Wyandotte counties (as of 1 Jan 2018). The Emerald Ash Borer is in Topeka. We suspect the insect might be in Emporia, but the populations are not large enough to have been detected yet. Ash trees left untreated in an area if heavy infestation it will die since the tree has no natural defense against this insect.

The symptoms of EAB include:

• Canopy or crown decline starting from the top of the tree down
• Shoots or sprouts growing from trunk or roots
• Splits in the bark
• D-shaped exit holes
• S-shaped serpentine galleries (visible only beneath the bark)
• Increased woodpecker activity

Preventative Maintenance Offers the Best Protection:

Wellnitz Tree Care offers a line of systemic insecticide applications to treat or prevent not only Emerald Ash Borers but also native ash borers. We do soil injections for preventative measures because they are effective and are non-invasive to the tree. The soil injection is the best option as far as affordability and there is no drilling into the tree, however, if EAB is already present we can inject directly into the trunk for quicker results. We can also remove trees that have become too heavily infested to save. Please visit our contact us page to set up an appointment and one of our certified arborists can discuss possible treatment options.

Stop the spread of EAB

The Emerald Ash Borer is spread through the transport of infested firewood. Never transport firewood more than 50 miles and 10 or less is best. The best practice is to burn wood where it was purchased or harvested.

If you have any questions about EAB please contact us.