Emerald Ash Borer

A nasty little green beetle that has left our country almost bare of ash trees. Ash trees are magnificent trees that are also loved by furniture manufacturers and the MLB for baseball bats! Sadly, because of this invasive asian beetle the Ash trees are now an endangered species. Ash trees are commonly found in lowland areas near creeks and wet soils. They can be as small as a dogwood or as big as an oak. Due to it’s invasive and aggressive nature, a trunk injection is the only proven strategy for protection and control. It’s truly a tragedy if we don’t act quick enough to protect the ash trees from the EAB which we can do with an injection treatment that helps the tree defend itself from the beetle.

Treatment Option – Trunk Injections

Who applies treatment: Licensed pesticide applicators

Treatment process: A licensed pesticide applicator will drill through the bark and into the outer sapwood of the ash tree, where they will inject the insecticide

Frequency: 2-3 years

Effectiveness: When properly administered by a licensed tree care professional, some trunk injections have shown to be 90 percent effective at controlling EAB, making this treatment the most effective method by far

Drawbacks: Cost and potential drilling wounds. While the most effective, trunk injections that last multiple years are typically more expensive than other EAB treatments.

Treatment Option – Soil Injections

Who applies treatment: Licensed pesticide applicators, or property owners (if ash tree is under 12” diameter at chest height)

Treatment process: Though soil drenches vary, they’re typically applied in the form of liquid or as granules that are then watered into the soil around the tree after the area beneath the tree has been cleared, thus allowing the soil drench to take hold in the roots of the tree

Frequency: Annual

Effectiveness: Inconsistent. In some trials, EAB control was excellent, while others yielded poor results. That said, soil injections are administered by tree professionals proved to be more effective.

Drawbacks: Effectiveness and environmental impact. While they proved to be better EAB control than no treatment, soil injections are significantly more likely to fail than trunk injections. They’re also more likely to impact plants, insects or animals that may be near the tree.

Treatment Options We Offer

• Trunk Injections
• Soil Injection