Emerald Ash Borer is an extremely difficult-to-control pest, which has invaded a large majority of Minnesota since 2002. A staggering fact about EAB is that it has a mortality rate of almost 100% for Ash trees when an infestation has occurred which is why it has become such an issue for homeowners in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
As one of the big issues that we see on a daily basis with all of our customers, we thought it was important to explain the process of how the Emerald Ash Borer actually destroys a tree. There are a few factors for its widespread success in North America and we will delve into these factors in this blog.
No natural predators in North America
Without a natural predator and the Woodpecker being the closest known threat to the EAB, the population has been able to thrive with plentiful amounts of food and an abundance of hosts in the form of different Ash tree species across North America. With our ten years of experience, we’ve seen the population rapidly increase throughout the Twin Cities and beyond which is why it’s important to spread awareness about this problem.
Larvae are the real problem
There have been many studies conducting research into just how the EAB can kill a tree.
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The larvae of the Emerald Ash Borer feed between two different layers within the tree.
These layers are the sapwood and bark sections.
The Larvae feed along the entire length of the tree’s trunk and also on the branches.
It’s said they feed on branches that generally have a diameter of over 0.8 inches.
Some trees can have hundreds or even thousands of larvae underneath the bark.
The sheer amount of larvae volume can interrupt the nutrient flow to the tree, depriving it of a crucial food source and thus beginning the tree’s slow descent into deprivation.
