State Lifts Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today announced that the state Emerald Ash Borer quarantine restricting the in-state movement of ash materials and all hardwood firewood will be lifted April 15. However, a federal quarantine remains in effect.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a highly invasive, wood-boring beetle that kills ash trees and poses a threat to the state’s $25 billion hardwoods industry.

“Lifting our quarantine will allow free movement on Emerald Ash Borer-regulated materials within Pennsylvania,” said acting Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “As Emerald Ash Borer has moved rapidly across the state, the in-state quarantine restrictions no longer serve a productive purpose.”

Because of the beetle’s aggressive movement across Pennsylvania, the in-state quarantine – initially intended to slow the pest’s spread – is now unnecessary.

Since 2007, when the Emerald Ash Borer was first observed in Butler County, the pest has been found in 17 additional counties, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Centre, Clarion, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

The state quarantine includes the counties where the beetle was found in addition to the contiguous counties, for a total of 43.

A parallel federal quarantine, also established in 2007, will remain effective in Pennsylvania to help stop the spread into other states. International and federal interstate restrictions will apply to exporting Emerald Ash Borer-regulated materials from Pennsylvania to non-quarantined domestic areas and regulating countries.

Greig added that Pennsylvania remains committed to finding ways to control the beetle, which in turn will protect the state’s important hardwoods industry.

The quarantine initially restricted the movement of ash nursery stock, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—was quarantined.

The Emerald Ash Borer is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

Pennsylvanians Urged to Heed Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine When Hauling Firewood During Winter Months

Harrisburg – Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding reminded Pennsylvanians—particularly those that heat their homes using wood—that the Emerald Ash Borer quarantine remains in effect in 43 counties. The quarantine is designed to restrict the movement of ash materials and all hardwood firewood and wood chips.
“Consumers who use wood to heat their homes and businesses are urged to burn local firewood only and heed the restrictions on moving firewood from within the quarantined area,” said Redding. “By obeying the quarantine, we can help limit the further spread of the beetle.”
The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive, ash tree-killing beetle that threatens the state’s $25 billion hardwoods industry.
This summer, the department’s Emerald Ash Borer survey crews collected nearly 6,900 samples and tested 500,000 specimens from among 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties.
The beetle has been found in 18 counties, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Clarion, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.
As a result, the Agriculture department expanded its quarantine to include counties where the beetle was found this year, as well as in the contiguous counties of Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.
The quarantine is intended to restrict the movement of ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.
The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Emerald ash borer galleries in infested ash tree

Emerald Ash Borer and Your Woods

Over the past couple of weeks I have received numerous calls from landowners concerning the status of their woods and emerald ash borer. A number of these calls were from landowners who have been approached by individuals telling them they need to cut their timber because the emerald ash borer will kill it all (including maple, oak and cherry). First off, if you are approached by an individual using this line I would recommend caution on how you proceed. Emerald ash borer (EAB), from our knowledge and experience in other states, attacks and kills only species of ash (green, black, white and blue). EAB will not attack and kill other species!

Emerald ash borer is headed this way. We don’t know exactly when it will get here. We do know that about 2/3 of the state is under a quarantine that doesn’t allow the movement of ash logs, chips and lumber into non-quarantined counties unless the logs/lumber/chips meet certain requirements. Bradford County is not yet under the quarantine. We also know that ash that is attacked will die. It may take two or three years but a successful attack is fatal to the attacked ash tree.

Here are some suggestions that may help a landowner deal with the certainties of EAB.

1. Don’t move firewood of any species. Use local firewood

2. Be alert to the condition of your ash component (a good publication to identify EAB is “Symptoms and Signs of the Emerald Ash Borer”, Extension Bulletin EAB – 2938-PSU, by Mary Wilson, MSU Extension and Eric Rebek, MSU, Dept. of Entomology).

3. Contact Cooperative Extension, DCNR Bureau of Forestry or Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture if you think you have EAB in your woods.

4. Determine the amount of ash in your woods. If you have an ash component that is greater than 10 – 15% of merchantable ash you may need to consider a harvest. At the same time you may carry out a timber stand improvement cut in the other species (“selective” cutting and only cutting trees above a certain diameter does not qualify as timber stand improvement)!

5. Learn all you can about EAB and your options by visiting websites, attending conferences and meetings, and reading material from creditable sources.

6. Contact your Bureau of Forestry service forester or your own forester and obtain his/her advice about managing your woods.

7. Obtain a forest management/stewardship plan or update your current plan with the appropriate EAB contingencies.

Even though emerald ash borer will likely have a large impact on the woodlands in Pennsylvania, it is not the time to panic. It is the time to obtain professional assistance and make knowledgeable decisions that will help you deal with this insect.

Evidence of woodpecker activity is a good sign of EAB infestation.

Quarantine for Emerald Ash Borer Expanded

Aug. 10, 2010
Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine Expanded to 43 Counties; Tree-Killing Pest Found in Cumberland, Union Counties

Harrisburg – Forty-three counties are now under a quarantine that is intended to prevent the spread of the invasive, tree-killing Emerald Ash Borer, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today while reminding travelers not to haul firewood between counties.

Redding also said that the pest has been found in two additional counties. Beetles were found in Cumberland County at the Pennsylvania Turnpike mile marker 226 near Carlisle, and in Union County at the intersection of State Gameland and Matthew Brown roads in Gregg Township.

The Emerald Ash Borer has now been found in 17 counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

The Agriculture Department has expanded its quarantine to include 31 counties, including the six where the beetle has been found this year and others that are contiguous. Those counties are: Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.

“The considerable quarantine expansion was based on the new detections, coupled with new detections and quarantines in neighboring states,” said Redding. “As we head into the final months of summer travel, we remind campers and travelers to follow the quarantine within the 43 counties and across the state to help limit the further spread of the beetle.”

The quarantine is intended to restrict the movement of ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

Redding said Emerald Ash Borer poses a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which contributes nearly $25 billion to the economy.

The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Agriculture department’s Emerald Ash Borer survey crews began hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties on May 21. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread.

The national survey is conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Forestry.

Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us by searching “Emerald Ash Borer.”

They're Back!

The "Purple Boxes" are back in Pennsylvania's landscape. Cooperating agencies have again hung the purple emerald ash borer "traps" in key areas of the state. Many of them are located along major roads and highways and parks (since people are one of the principle transporters of this insect). The traps are treated with substance that attract emerald ash borer to the trap where they get stuck on the sticky surface. Technicians will periodically check the traps for emerald ash borer adults. Remember these traps do not attract emerald ash borer into non-infested areas. The purpose of the traps is to determine if the insect is already present in the area. If you see these traps in your travels, please do not disturb them. They can best do their job if they are left undisturbed. Encourage others, who may mention them to you, to leave them be as well. If you suspect that you have seen emerald ash borer damage or an adult emerald ash borer, contact your local Cooperative Extension office, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry office or Regional Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture office. For more information on emerald ash borer go to http://bradford.extension.psu.edu/nresources/forestry.html and scroll down to the emerald ash borer photo and click there.

Emerald Ash Borer in Bedford County

Harrisburg – Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found near Graceville, Bedford, County, bringing to 12 the number of Pennsylvania counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today.

In response to this latest discovery, Redding said a state-imposed quarantine is being expanded to include Bedford County. He reminded residents and visitors to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not move it to new locations.

“Our survey crews are acting swiftly to assess the extent of infestation in Bedford County and surrounding areas,” said Redding. “As we enter the summer traveling and camping season, the department urges all Pennsylvanians to heed the imposed hardwood firewood quarantine – not just in the specified areas, but throughout the state to prevent any further spread of the beetle.”

The Bedford County infestation was discovered at the intersection of Tannery Road and Route 30 near Graceville, which is less than one mile east of Breezewood and less than one mile from the Fulton County line, after Department of Conservation and Natural Resources staff noticed extensive tree damage due to woodpecker. Such damage often indicates that trees may be infected as the birds injure the trees while trying to eat the beetle larvae.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips.

Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, and is responsible for the death and decline of more than 40 million trees.
Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.
People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Pennsylvania Agriculture Department Emerald Ash Borer survey crews will begin hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees Friday, May 21, in 21 counties. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread. Crews will remove the traps by the end of August.

The national survey is being conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Forest Service and DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry.

Information is also available at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/ by searching “Emerald Ash Borer.”

Emerald Ash Borer in Juniata County

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture announced on Oct 30 that emerald ash borer has been discovered in Milford Township, Juniata County. The infestation is located along the Mifflin – Juniata County border. The quarantine on wood product movements has been expanded to include Juniata County. EAB has now been confirmed in 11 Pennsylvania Counties. If you believe you have seen evidence of EAB in your area contact your local Extension office, your local Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry office, the regional Dept. of Agriculture office or the EAB hotline at 866-253-7189

Emerald Ash Borer in Westmoreland County

We probably all knew that something like this was coming this summer as the PA Dept. of Agriculture, DCNR Bureau of Forestry and others begin their survey for EAB. Read the News Release from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture for more information. Also, you can read my previous blog about the monitoring program in Pennsylvania.

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY; QUARANTINE IMPOSED

Campers Statewide are Urged to Stop Transporting Firewood

HARRISBURG – Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, bringing to seven the number of counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff announced today.

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer and Mifflin counties. To help slow the spread of the beetle, the state-imposed quarantine for those six counties is being expanded to include Westmoreland County.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips.

This summer, 20 crews – 15 in Western Pennsylvania, one in Mifflin County, and four in the eastern part of the state – and two regional coordinators have been deployed to assess the spread of the beetle. The Westmoreland County crew detected the new infestation.

“Our survey crews are assessing the extent of the infestation in Westmoreland County and surrounding areas,” said Wolff. “We remind consumers to heed the quarantine when traveling and camping this spring and summer—not just in the quarantined areas but throughout Pennsylvania—to prevent any further spread of the beetle.”

Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined. Since many species of wood-boring insects, including the Emerald Ash Borer, can be spread by transporting infested firewood and logs, campers and homeowners are encouraged to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not carry it to new locations.

Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The beetle has since been blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.
People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.
Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us/emeraldashborer.

Emerald Ash Borer Alert

Emerald ash borer will be emerging from infested ash trees very soon. It is time to be alert to this insect. As the adults emerge they leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark of an infested ash. The adults will feed some on ash leaves, mate, females will lay eggs. When the eggs hatch the larvae will chew through the bark into the cambium layer where it will feed. It will then pupate in the inner bark in the fall and over winter in that stage. In late May to mid-June the adults will emerge head first through the D-shaped hole they have chewed.

To help monitor or detect the presence of emerald ash borer the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry will again be putting up purple “traps” in selected areas. You may have seen some of these traps already. The adult beetles are attracted to the trap and when they land they are stuck on the sticky substance that is on the surface of the trap. Crews will periodically inspect these traps for adult beetles. The traps will not attract emerald ash borer into the area, it will only attract beetles that may already be present. These traps will only work if they are not disturbed so we encourage you not to touch, move or disturb them in any way. Also, be on the alert for adult beetles or D-shaped exit holes in ash trees. Other symptoms include: dieback in the top of the tree (similar to ash yellows and ash decline), heavy sprouting from the lower portions of the tree, heavy woodpecker activity and splitting of bark. If you see any of these or other symptoms (visit the Bradford County Extension website and click on the emerald ash borer picture to go to an excellent web site about the borer for more info and symptoms) call your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture office or Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry office. If you believe you have an emerald ash borer please take it to one of the offices listed above. MAKE SURE IT IS DEAD DO NOT TRANSPORT LIVE BEETLES. Put it in a bottle of alcohol for transport. You can get me at 570.265.2896 or rsh7@psu.edu if you have questions or think you have emerald ash borer.

In addition to the pest being found in Mifflin County, PA, it is still spreading in the Midwest. It was discovered in St. Paul, MN in May. Fifty-nine trees were removed in St. Paul and the quarantine was expanded to two counties in Minnesota.