THE TREE KILLING EMERALD ASH BORER HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED IN ALL OF IOWA’S 99 COUNTIES.
INSECT SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED FROM A DECLINING ASH TREE IN ARMSTRONG EARLIER THIS MONTH BY STAFF FROM THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR CONFIRMATION.
WITH POSITIVE CONFIRMATION NOW IN EMMET COUNTY, THERE ARE NO REMAINING COUNTIES IN IOWA WITHOUT A DETECTION.
THE BORER IS A NON-NATIVE, WOOD-BORING INSECT THREATENING ALL SPECIES OF ASH TREES.
THE LARVAL STAGE OF THIS INSECT TUNNELS THROUGH THE WOOD JUST BENEATH THE BARK OF ASH TREES, CUTTING OFF THE TREE’S ABILITY TO TRANSPORT WATER AND NUTRIENTS.
THE CUMULATIVE DAMAGE TYPICALLY KILLS A TREE WITHIN TWO TO FOUR YEARS AFTER BECOMING INFESTED.
THE E-A-B WAS UNKNOWN TO NORTH AMERICA UNTIL ITS DISCOVERY IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN IN 2002, AND HAS SINCE SPREAD TO 37 STATES.
IT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN IOWA IN 2010.
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