Emerald Ash Borer Update

Emerald Ash Borer Update

The Emerald Ash Borer has plagued Boulder, Colorado since its discovery in 2013. It’s now 2016 and time for an emerald ash borer update. Fearing the spread of this beetle which destroys ash trees, there has been a quarantine on lumber transfer in Colorado. More recently, the City of Denver has created an initiative to help us know how to protect our trees from the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).

What is the “Be a Smart Ash” Initiative?

Ash Tree Identification
Ash Tree Identification: BeASmartAsh.org

Denver created the “Be a Smart Ash” initiative for a number of reasons. Ash trees are 1 in 6 in the Denver area. The initiative helps us identify ash trees. Opposite branching, compound leaves, and diamond-shaped bark are a few ways to identify them. According to Sky Stephens, Ph.D. and Forest Entomologist of the Colorado State Forest Service, ash trees in Colorado “comprise up to 80% of the community or subdivision trees”. Sky Stephens also thoroughly describes the current impact and threat to Colorado if this beetle isn’t contained before spreading too much.

The “Be A Smart Ash” initiative has a website associated with it that helps us recognize and identify the EAB beetle, its larvae, and its effects on our ash trees. The metallic-green beetle has caused problems across the United States, killing billions of ash trees and costing billions of dollars to treat, remove and replace ash trees.

Why Should I Care about the Emerald Ash Borer?

The City of Denver’s new initiative answers the question, “Why should I care about the Emerald Ash Borer?” There is a bulleted list of answers. At the top of the list is the fact that the “insect has the potential to destroy Metro Denver’s 1.45 million ash trees. It has already wreaked havoc in more than 25 states and parts of Canada, causing billions of dollars in damage.”

Emerald Ash Borer Update
Emerald Ash Borer Photo: Wikipedia

How can you tell if your trees have an EAB infestation? The Be a Smart Ash site identifies the following items to look for:

  • D-shaped exit holes.
  • Larva.
  • Wavy trail lines.
  • Tree crown dieback.
  • Woodpeckers have been discovered as natural predators of the EAB.

To determine the health of your ash trees and yard, contact us. Receive a free plant health care estimate here.

Call 303.806.8733

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