Wisconsin is on the verge of being invaded by the Emeral Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis.)
This alien invader is from northern China and Korea. It isn’t a major pest of ash trees in its native range, but it sure is trouble in the United States.
Before 2002, the emerald ash borer was never found outside of Asia, but in 2002, it was identified in southeast Michigan. Researchers think it arrived in Detroit several years earlier, probably as a stow-away in wooden packing materials aboard a ship. The original infestation has grown, largely because of people moving infested firewood. On its own, the emerald ash borer only flies about 1/2 a mile in a year, but tucked away in a piece of ash firewood, it can move hundreds of miles in a single day in the trunk or truck bed of an unsuspecting camper.
The emerald ash borer has now hitchhiked its way to much of lower Michigan and to the states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland and Ontario, Canada.
So what’s the big deal? All North American ash species are at risk of infestation. Usually more than one insect infests a tree. Once these invaders get into a tree, the tree always dies. There are some ash trees that are not at risk, such as the mountain ash, but that’s because they are not true ash trees. In Wisconsin, there are approximately 700 million ash trees in our forests, and about as many in our towns and cities. It’s the second most common tree in urban areas, after the Norway maple. So, you can imagine what these insects could do to Wisconsin’s ash trees!
Governor Doyle has proclaimed this Emerald Ash Borer awareness week. He tells us "The two most important things that people can do are to stop transporting firewood long distances, and to become better educated about the beetle."
Here's a couple of links to do just that:
Every Green Thursday we post information vital to the survival of the planet.
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