April - June 2012
What is Emerald Ash Borer?
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive wood boring pest that kills all types of ash trees. It only affects ash and is not a threat to any other type of tree. Unfortunately ash is found in large numbers in our communities and, to a lesser extent, in our forest. This insect has been found in ash as little as 1 inch in diameter.
EAB is native to Eastern Russia, northern China, Japan, and Korea. It was first discovered in the U.S. in southeast Michigan in 2002. Since then it has moved throughout the Northeast and Midwest region until first being detected in Missouri in 2008. The first find in Missouri was at the Greenville Recreational Area on Wappapello Lake on US Army Corps of Engineers land in Wayne County, resulting in prohibiting movement of all hardwood firewood, ash nursery stock, and ash wood (including branches from the county). The pest has killed millions of ash trees at a significant cost to communities, businesses, and homeowners.
Recent Finds
On Friday, July 20, 2012, the USDA APHIS confirmed that the adult insects found in Platte County are EAB. In addition, adult insects were found in two locations in Reynolds County. In short, this destructive insect has spread.
The find in the Kansas City metropolitan area (Platte County just north of the Missouri River between Kansas City and the KC International Airport) was initially made by an observant Certified Arborist who was asked to remove a tree in a homeowner's yard. The infestation site is residential and under county government. This will make monitoring and response very different from the approach used for the Wayne County infestation.
The finds in Reynolds County were from EAB trapping efforts. The first positive catch was on a trap in the north part of the county, not far from a boat access point on the Black River. The second positive catch was on a trap placed along a state highway on the very south side of the county.
Regulatory Authority
Responsibility to regulate this pest rests with the USDA, APHIS, and MDA. USDA will establish a quarantine addressing interstate movement of ash, firewood, and EAB. MDA will establish a quarantine addressing intrastate movement of the same. At present, only Wayne County is quarantined by USDA and MDA. It remains to be seen what changes to the existing state and federal quarantine will be made. Decisions will be made after new infestations are mapped.
For More Information...
http://extension.missouri.edu/emeraldashborer/index.aspx
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/emerald-ash-borer