Ash beetle invasion in the northeast

[Huskybill]

flash on the news more ask trees are dying do to the green ash beetle. There going to fight it with a wasp that kills these beetles. The wasp isn’t native to this area. I hope it’s not another Asian carp disaster. We be dodging killer wasps. Killer bees, ticks Lyme disease what ever. I was mowing and had this green beetle land on my arm. Of course days later it was reported there killing ash trees.

 

[uniballer]

I wouldn't worry too much about these wasps bothering humans. Parasitic wasps are used regularly in greenhouse IPM to control pests like aphids, and most people don't even know they are there.

Of course, there is no guarantee these beneficial insects will actually work well everywhere the EAB has infested. Time will tell.

Here are some informative links:
A Promising New Parasitoid Drills Down on Emerald Ash Borers

Parasitoid Wasps to Control Emerald Ash Borer

Canadian researchers successfully raise wasps that kill emerald ash borer

 

[Huskybill]

Thanks for the info. I guess the ash beetle borer invasion is worse than I thought.
The beetle bores under the bark and cuts off what the tree feeds on.? The wood should be ok for lumber. I have two giant ash trees one I see is dying.

 

[uniballer]

Have you seen the EAB Federal Quarantine map? This might be slightly out of date, check the USDA APHIS site to be sure.

FYI unless the lumber is kiln dried the ash borer larvae will still be eating it. Where I am it is illegal to transport untreated wood more than 50 miles from the source.

 

[Rickz26]

Thanks for the info. I guess the ash beetle borer invasion is worse than I thought.
The beetle bores under the bark and cuts off what the tree feeds on.? The wood should be ok for lumber. I have two giant ash trees one I see is dying.

Hope the local authority will be able to control them.

 

[Huskybill]

The ash borer is in new haven,ct and everyone is panicking, even the local news, all of a sudden the city is going to lose its trees it’s known for besides being called the elm city.

 

[ATH]

We lost nearly all of our untreatd ash in NW Ohio about 10-12 years ago. It hits hard and fast.

Probably a little late to start treating, but if you have trees you want to save, it is worth evaluating condition of the tree and treatment options.

Lumber of EAB-killed trees is not good. It becomes very brittle very soon after death. If the bark is loose, the wood is useless (not because of the bark being loose, but that means it has been dead for at least a year or two and the wood degrades pretty quickly...much more so than "natural" dead ash.

 

[jzack605]

We have been doing large scale EAB injections here in western Long Island and NYC. Fingers crossed.

Glad to see they’re not solely relying on injections.

 

[Huskybill]

Can I inject my ash trees to save them?

 

[ATH]

Can I inject my ash trees to save them?

Yes....but the equipment is costly - doesn't make sense for 1 tree. If you are ahead of it (not seeing much damage yet) and you aren't right on water, you can soil drench with imidacloprid. It is very effective...maybe not quite as effective as Tree-age, but I have quite a few trees that are still looking after a decade plus of treatment.

 

[Huskybill]

If I cut both big ash trees down then there firewood. I hate to do that.

When I first purchased my land in vt it’s a over grown untouched woodlot that was once were sheep grazed. Full of lumber sized timber. My neighbor finally came to meet me, the oldman wanted to know what I wanted to do with the land. First I scared him. I told him I have a firewood business at home this is another source for firewood. Lol. Then I told him I cut enough of trees at home this land the way you see it will stay. It was a family problem he sold the land for a dollar so his buddy could build. His buddy gave the land to his son I purchased a piece of heaven for $10 k many decades later. In over 2 k feet from any house on one side a mile from any house on the other side the other two sides is national forest.