The Texas A&M Forest Service has confirmed the expansion of emerald ash borers (EAB) in Texas. As a result, citizens are encouraged to buy and burn wood locally to prevent accidentally spreading the pest.
“EAB has killed millions of ash trees across the country,” a forest service article said. “Ash trees are widespread in the U.S. and all 16 native ash species are at risk of attack. Ash trees with low population densities of EAB often have few or no external signs of infestation. Emerald ash borers are a metallic green, invasive insect that bore into ash tree bark. They lay their eggs between bark crevices, where they hatch after 7-10 days. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), females lay approximately 60-90 eggs, though they may live long enough to lay up to 200 eggs which start white but eventually turn reddishbrown.
When eggs hatch, the larvae live and feed on the layer under a tree’s bark creating galleries that interrupt water transport. The larvae develop in four stages over one to two years before converting to pupae. Adult beetles emerge in the spring creating D-shaped holes in the bark.
According to the forest service, signs of an infestation include Signs of infection include canopy thinning, increased woodpecker activity, shoots sprouting from the trunk and bark splitting.
When a tree is infested, EAB can kill it within a year. They can also survive for two to three years in wood after a tree is cut down. Protection measures include insecticides, planting a variety of tree species and properly disposing of dead trees.
“EAB populations can spread 20 km (12 mi) a year naturally,” an article on the TDA website said. “However, it is artificially spread much longer distances by transport of firewood and other infested wood products that contain ash bark, which allows EAB to reach new areas and create satellite populations. Prevention of the movement of infested firewood is a critical tool in impeding the spread of this highly destructive pest.”
Native to east Asia, EAB were first discovered in North America in 2002. Since then, the pest has spread to 36 states and was first detected in Texas in 2016. According to their website, the forest service is monitoring the spread of this species.