Forest health professionals with the Missouri Department of Conservation advise Missourians to watch for damage from an invasive tree pest in winter months, according to an MDC news release. The Emerald Ash Borer is a small, metallic green beetle native to Asia that attacks and kills ash trees.
EAB attacks all species of ash trees and kills nearly every tree it infests. At approximately a half-inch long, the green adult beetle feeds on leaves and does little damage to trees. However, in its larval stage, the insect kills ash trees by feeding on the water- and nutrient-conducting tissues just under the bark.
The destructive insect has been confirmed in 42 Missouri counties, including Maries and Miller counties in Mid-Missouri, as well as the City of St. Louis, and is suspected to be present in several more locations, according to MDC.
While bird watching, hiking or enjoying other outdoor pursuits this winter, Missourians are encouraged to keep an eye out for bark blonding on ash trees. Bark blonding is caused by woodpeckers removing a tree’s outer bark while searching for insect larvae. On ash trees, this feeding activity reveals a noticeable white inner bark. Ash trees with bark blonding may not have EAB, but it is worth reporting these trees for a closer look by trained foresters.
“EAB is estimated to cost Missourians more than $180 million in tree treatments, removals and replacements over the next 20 years,” MDC Forest Entomologist Robbie Doerhoff said in the news release. “If you have a healthy, high-value ash tree in your yard, it can be treated with insecticides that will protect it from EAB. However, these treatments can be expensive and must be applied every year or two to guarantee protection. For some ash trees, the best option is removal and replanting with a different species such as an oak native to Missouri.”
For more information on insecticide treatments for ash trees, consult the Emerald Ash Borer Management Guide for Missouri Homeowners online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZSq.
For a map of EAB’s spread across Missouri, detailed information on identification, and a guide on insecticide treatments, visit eab.missouri.edu. To report suspected EAB damage in new counties to a local MDC forester, call MDC’s Forest Pest Hotline at 866-716-9974 or email [email protected].