Emerald Ash Borer: A Growing Threat to America’s Ash Trees

The emerald ash borer is an aggressive beetle that can cause heavy damage to the ash trees in the United States. Ever since the invasion, this pest has not only caused ecological but also economic loss in large amounts, and hence, quite crucial that individuals and the community are in a position to identify, control, and avoid the infestation. Here, in this blog, we will discuss the emerald ash borer look alikes, the life of the emerald ash borer, the extent of emerald ash borer damage, and some natural and efficient ways for control. If you have an emerald ash borer problem in your garden you have to understand what they are and how a pest control company can help you in the best way.

What is the Emerald Ash Borer?

The emerald ash borer is a green colour beetle. It has the primary mission of killing ash trees. This insect lays eggs in the ash trees. When the larvae hatch, they go into the bark, and thus, the tree’s ability to carry water and food will affect. This invasive insect was first spotted in North America in 2002, and later it has reached 37 states, after which it has killed ash trees only. The detection of the beetle at an early stage is not an easy job, as the initial damage caused by the beetle to the tree is not visible until the tree becomes weak and starts dying.

Emerald Ash Borer Look Alikes

Correct identification is very important because of the fact that the native beetles have a similarity with the emerald ash borer in their appearance. There are two typical cases of the emerald ash borer look alikes:

• Six-spotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata): This insect is a shiny green color as well, but is a bit bigger and has spotty patterns of white on the sides of the wings.
• Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius): In carcass and size, this insect is more bronze than green color and its main food is birch trees instead of ash.

It is very important to be able to differentiate the emerald ash borer from the fakes in order to be able to report accurately and manage the situation effectively.

Life Cycle of the Emerald Ash Borer

Climate and tree health being other parameters, the lifecycle of them covers one to two years, and here is the sequence of events:

1. Adult Emergence: Those who remain in the stage of adults come out of the infested trees during late spring. They also get D-shaped exit holes.
2. Mating and Egg Laying: The first step is a whole week of feeding on ash leaves, then the adults decide to mate with one another. The females deposit 40-70 eggs into bark crevices.
3. Larval Stage: Eggs hatch in weeks. As these larvae feed and bore their winding galleries through the inner bark and the cambium. It is the most destructive phase, as the life of the tree will block.
4. Overwintering and Pupation: Larvae stand the winter season under the bark. With the arrival of spring, they become adults, thus allowing the cycle to continue.

Knowing the life cycle of the emerald ash borer is the main thing for conducting the measures of control during the most efficient period.

Emerald Ash Borer Damage

The range of emerald ash borer damage is quite beyond belief. The larvae disrupt the flow of water and nutrients, which in turn causes:

• Cown dieback: Dead branches, especially near the top of the tree.
• Epicormic shoots: Overgrowth of sprouting on the trunk and big branches.
• Bark splits and S-shaped galleries: Going under the bark, these are signs of infestation; they are uncover by the bark.

Increased woodpecker activity: Birds feed on larvae by stripping off bark to get there, they may also be the ones that reveal the infestation.

How to Get Rid of Emerald Ash Borer Naturally

If you want to understand how to get rid of the emerald ash borer naturally, by following natural ways. Understand these pointers and practice them:

• Sticky Traps: Wrap several sticky traps, which are brightly color, around the lower part of the tree, as this will efficiently catch the beetles going up.
• Neem Oil: Wash the contaminated zones with a mixture of neem oil. The oil of neem is a natural insecticide that kills larvae by asphyxiation and also keeps adults away from the place.
• Biological Control: Provide undesired insects such as parasitic wasps, which attack the emerald ash borer larvae and thus bring down the population of the pest.
• Tree Wrapping: Sticky tape or special wraps can be wrapped around the trunks as a barrier, thus preventing bugs from laying eggs there.
• Insecticidal Soap and Garlic Spray: These natural sprays are also very helpful as they can be directly introduced on the bark and foliage, and they act as a repellent, or their kill is instant on any beetle coming in contact with them.
• Remove Severely Infested Trees: If the tree is going to die anyway, it is better to take it out now so that the infection is kept limited and does not spread to the nearby healthy trees.

If these methods are applied in combination, it will be easier to tackle the infestation and at the same time, the damage caused by the pest will be at minimum and no harm will be done to the ecosystem it resides in.

Conclusion

The green beetle is still the most destructive invasive species in the United States of America. It is the reason that ash species all over the country are disappearing at an alarming rate. If you go step by step, first be able to differentiate between the green borer and its mimics, understand the life stages of our pest, find the symptoms of borer’s damage, and then last but not least use natural control methods, you will be be able to protect your community and the trees. It is very important to act early, keep an eye on your ash trees, and if the problem has become too severe for you, get a professional for assistance.

You must always be vigilant, and if you opt for the correct strategies, employing them will be possible to shield your lawn from the attacks of the green ash borer and grant the beauty of the trees the preservation and prestige from the flower of America, the ash trees to go on. ToKnow more about the bettle visit our website SAYNOPEST and get the interesting information.