Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)


                        2023 Ash Injection Program


The emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis) is a non-native beetle 1st found in the United States back in 2002 in the Detroit, Michigan area. It's native to Asia. The insect kills all species of native ash trees.

  

Affected Regions


It's been found in several states, including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It also has killed trees in Ontario and Quebec. In Minnesota, it's been found in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, rural Houston County, rural Winona County and La Crescent. In late July of 2011, it was also found in Shoreview and in March of 2015 found in Ham Lake. ON AUGUST 23, 2016, IT WAS FOUND IN ANDOVER. That was the second find in Anoka County! Minnesota has an estimated 900 million ash trees, potentially in danger.

It's killed hundreds of millions of trees in these states and provinces and has cost different entities in the forest industry (cities, nurseries, etc.) hundreds of millions of dollars.

How They Kill Trees


The beetle itself doesn't do the actual significant damage to the trees; it's the larval stage of the insect that causes the damage. After the eggs hatch, the larvae feed inside the bark and create galleries that disrupt the transport of water and nutrients.


Prevention & Treatments


Now that it's been confirmed in Andover, it is time to be proactive with management. The City will begin utilizing its EAB Management Plan/Program and will be working with other cities and agencies (Minnesota Dept. of Ag and DNR) as needed. Hopefully, this will help in the state's overall effort in protecting ash trees from EAB. The following list of actions will help save our ash trees:
  • Plan ahead-if you have ash trees on your property, what are you going to do? Click this Link if you need help identifying them. Are there some trees you really want to save? What treatment methods will you use? Who are you going to have do the treatments? Who are you going to have cut down the ash you don't want? What native trees are you going to replant with? Click the Homeowner EAB Management Guide link (under Quick Links) for more information.
  • Monitor the health of your ash trees-learn symptoms and signs of EAB and report anything suspicious; additional information on common symptoms can be found on the links on this page. Contact the City of Andover Natural Resources Technician if you think you think you see signs of EAB on your tree(s).
  • Don't transport firewood-quarantines have been set up in Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey and Houston counties; this helps prevent EAB from moving to new areas by hitching a ride on firewood. So the message is simple. Don't transport ash firewood outside of the city. Keep it local. In addition, don't bring new firewood in from some other city.