Emerald Ash Borer Pest Alert
There is a new deadly tree pest on the move in the northeast - the emerald ash borer (EAB for short). The question is no longer "if" the borer will arrive, but "when and where" will we find it first. According to recent reports, this "invasive pest increases in population at least tenfold every year." Wildlife agencies have now started a massive monitoring program to try and trap a live ash borer and confirm its presence in NY State. While a live insect has yet to be captured in New York EAB is killing trees in Pennsylvania and Canada - just miles from our border.
There's a lot of misinformation floating around about EAB. According to David Roberts, PhD, the leading expert on EAB, government programs are guilty of publishing false and misleading information. In Dr. Robert' words, scientific studies have proven "wildly successful results" in treating infected trees - 100% control. While treatments are not available for forest and wooded settings there are plenty of options for residential Ash trees. In fact, according to Dr. Roberts, EAB is more easily treated than many common landscape problems.
The Tree Doctor, with two offices in Western New York, is now offering preventative treatments against EAB infection throughout the State. Feel free to call The Tree Doctor if you would like more information about our treatment program.
You may also contact us by clicking on the "SAVE MY TREES" button below.
Find out more information about the Tree Doctor
For more information on Emerald Ash Borer
Treatment Methods
- A systemic pesticide is injected into the ground under the tree or directly into the trunk of the tree. The tree then absorbs the chemical and moves it into all parts of the tree. This kills any borers inside the tree and keeps borers from entering healthy trees
- This chemical is safe and legal throughout New York, except Long Island.
- Some Ash trees in poor health may require fertilization as part of the treatment process.
Is the treatment guaranteed to work? Trees are living organisms and thus many factors come into play such as the health of the tree and the pressure from pest populations. However, 5 year longitudinal studies have shown nearly 100% prevention of infection in trees treated before they were attacked. Trees treated after infection also responded quite positively. The smaller trees showed the greatest ability to recover after infection. Large decayed Ash trees may have difficulty moving the chemical around effectively and are more prone to infection as a result. To guarantee best results all work will be performed by an Internationally Certified Arborist and a Licensed Pesticide Applicator.
Keep in mind...
EAB spread quickly and leaves slowly. In order to protect your trees you must treat them once a year. This could be necessary for 10 years or more. Please consider this when making arrangements to have your trees treated. The average tree will cost $100/year to treat. There is a minimum charge of $150 and discounts may apply to properties with large numbers of Ash trees.
Emerald Ash Borer Treatments:
Selecting a treatment method, what to expect and pricing per method.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB for short) has been found in the Jamestown area of New York State. Of equal importance, EAB has been found in Welland, Ontario just miles from our northern border. It is very likely that the distribution of this insect is much wider than these two locations. The borer is difficult to detect and tree dieback and death often does not occur for two years after initial infestation.
This insect and its response to various treatment methods has been studied extensively in Michigan - ground zero for EAB. Below is a summary of treatment methods and their effectiveness in scientific studies. These studies were conducted in heavily infested areas of Michigan.
Trunk injection method using the ArborJet: Chemicals are injected into the trunk of the tree at one time during the growing season, preferably spring or fall. This provides effective control for 1 year. However, a new product is currently under review that will provide control for 2-3 years. Trunk injections provide the most effective control against EAB according to studies conducted at 4 universities.
Soil drench/soil injection method: Chemicals are mixed and poured around the base of the tree or are injected into the soil at the base of the tree. This is done each year for best control. Some studies have had excellent results with this method while other studies have had more inconsistent results. This is an appropriate treatment method when pest populations are low – at the beginning of infestation or when most Ash trees are dead and EAB populations are in decline.
Foliar/Trunk spray: Chemicals are sprayed on the trunk and canopy of the tree. This is done each year in June. This method does provide fair control and is appropriate for large lots of Ash trees where some mortality is acceptable.
These studies were performed in an area where EAB presence was well established and insect populations were high. The study concluded that "although trunk injection treatments gave the highest level of control, soil drench or soil injection treatments are a good choice for managing smaller ash trees (less than 15" diameter trees)".
Pricing chart (volume discounts available):
- Soil injection/soil drench = $5/diameter inch each year.
- Trunk injection = $8/diameter inch each year.
- Foliar/Trunk spray = $3/diameter inch each year.
In the near future we hope to have the NEW product, Tree-Age, that provides 2-3 years of control as a trunk injection. This will cut your costs in 1/2 and should be available within a year.
The Tree Doctor Summary and treatment plan:
The Tree Doctor has used all treatment methods in the past for a variety of insects. We have had similar results as those described above for other types of borers and beetles. However, on occasion we have had issues with even distribution of the product when using the soil injection method. We believe that this is because heavy clay soil can "bind-up" the chemical slowing its absorption. Because of this The Tree Doctor uses the highest amount of product allowed by the label when performing soil injections. We are also urging clients who use this method to start treatment soon in order to build up levels within the tree before a heavy infestation is upon us. Until we are under heavy pressure from high levels of insect population we believe that the soil drench/injection method is appropriate to protect ash trees in residential settings. When trees begin to die in your neighborhood (within 1.5 miles) then a trunk injection treatment will be more effective and appropriate. For homeowners with large lots of ash trees there is a spray application that is 70% effective. This method is the least effective, least costly but still significantly better than not treating trees. Last, infected trees can be treated and saved. If an infected tree shows less than a 50% dieback then there is a 50% chance that trunk injection treatments will save the tree.
Disclaimer: Trees are living organisms and each tree has a unique root and vascular system and lives in a unique landscape. Tree health is a continuum with some trees being healthier than others. Because of these factors there can be variations in how trees respond to treatments. In short, some trees will die despite treatment. Without treatment most, if not all, ash trees will die.
Insects are living organisms and their behavior can be unpredictable. EAB may be currently in your neighborhood or it may take several years to arrive. However, it will arrive at some point. From our experience in Michigan, EAB takes many years to build to a critical high level after which its numbers begin to decline. No one knows how long the insect remains in an area but researchers expect that EAB takes about 5 years to build its population in an area before it begins to decline. If you plan on protecting your trees from EAB, plan on a long fight.
