The Iowa EAB team provides the following answers and information regarding often-asked questions.

What is emerald ash borer? It’s a very small, shiny green beetle about a half-inch long by an eighth-inch wide — about the size of President Abe Lincoln’s image on a penny.

What does EAB eat? Hosts are species of ash in the genus Fraxinus. Hosts include green ash (Marshall Seedless, Patmore and Summit), white ash (Autumn Purple), black ash, blue ash and pumpkin ash. Manchurian and Chinese ash trees are primary hosts in its homeland of Eurasia. A new host record of white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) was discovered in Ohio; this is not a common plant in Iowa. Mountain ashes (Sorbus species) are not hosts.

Where is EAB from? This beetle is native to Asia and is found in China and Korea. It also has been reported in Japan, Mongolia, far-east Russian and Taiwan. EAB arrived in the U.S. sometime before 2002 in wood packing materials.

How did it get to Iowa? Most EAB infestations in the U.S. have been started by people unknowingly moving infested firewood, nursery plant, or sawmill logs. The adult beetle also can fly short distances of 2 to 5 miles.

Should I be concerned about EAB? Yes. It kills ash trees, usually in two to four years. In the Midwest, millions of ash trees have been killed by EAB since 2002. There are about 3.1 million urban ash trees and an estimated 52 million ash trees in forests in Iowa. Statewide, Iowa averages 16% to 17% ash on city property, though the ash component in tree inventories can reach 87%.

Related:Tree-killing pest now in 64 counties

How do I know if I have an ash tree in my yard? Two sources to check on tree identification are the ISU Extension store and ISU’s Interactive Tree Identification Key.

How do I know if my ash tree is infested?  Look for the following symptoms:
• canopy thinning or dying branches in the top of the tree
• water sprouts (suckers) halfway up the trunk
• feeding notches on edge of leaflets
• woodpecker feeding sites with bark flakes on lawn
• S-shaped feeding galleries under dead bark
• D-shaped exit holes (eighth-inch diameter)

For counties not yet known to be infested with EAB, who can help me determine if my tree is infested? Contact one of the following if you suspect EAB in your tree:
• State Entomologist Office at 515-725-1470
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources at 515-725-8453
• ISU Extension Entomology at 515-294-1101

Who should be thinking about treating ash trees? If you are a homeowner within 15 miles of a known infested area, you can consider treatment of a healthy ash tree during the growing season (see #10 below). If you are not in a known infested area, treatment may be premature.

There are two management publications available from ISU Extension in English and Spanish.

Ash trees can be protected with insecticide applied by a commercial pesticide applicator or the homeowner. Trees must be healthy, vigorously growing and valuable to your landscape.

Most of the systemic insecticide treatments (imidacloprid and dinotefuran) must be done each year for the life of the tree. Two active ingredients will last for two years in a light EAB infestation: emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin. In heavy EAB infestations, only emamectin benzoate is effective for two years; azadirachtin must be injected every year.

Keep in mind that treatment may not be effective for a given tree due to past injuries, age of the tree, soil moisture, soil compaction, and other site and environmental factors.

If I am contacted by a pesticide applicator to treat ash trees for EAB in the fall or winter, what course should I take? The best time for most preventive applications for EAB is spring; some products can be used throughout the summer and early fall (before leaf color starts to change). If you live within 15 miles of a confirmed EAB infested site, get an estimate for the treatment. It is best to get at least one additional estimate before any work is done. If you live outside the risk zone, thank the applicator for showing interest and keep the company information on file.

Now that EAB has come to Iowa, is there some plan to manage or contain this pest? A detailed plan has been developed by Iowa collaborative agencies. The EAB Response Plan and other current Iowa information about EAB are at ISU Extension. 

What does an EAB quarantine mean? A quarantine by state and U.S. ag departments means that hardwood firewood, ash logs and wood chips cannot be moved out of the area without a permit. Homeowners must not remove their ash tree or firewood from their tree to an area outside the quarantine. Tree removal companies must not haul logs or firewood outside the quarantine area unless inspected and treated as required by the regulations.

How many counties in Iowa have been quarantined?  The entire state (99 counties) of Iowa has been quarantined for EAB.

What should a homeowner or tree care company do with ash trees cut down in or near the infested area? You should dispose or use the wood within your county.

Can I use the mulch produced by chipping an EAB infested tree for landscaping? If the chip size is 1-by-1-inch or smaller (in two dimensions), recent research has shown that EAB does not survive and the chips can be used without concern. If the chip size is larger, however, it is best to bury or burn these chips (according to local ordinance) as soon as practical to prevent spreading EAB into new areas.

Can I use the wood from EAB infested ash as firewood? Yes, with one qualification. Once the ash tree is cut into pieces, the pieces can be used as firewood on your property. Please do not take infested firewood with you on camping trips, tailgating, hunting, or other places because you’ll spread EAB.

What can my ash tree be used for, besides firewood? Depending on the straightness of the trunk and main branches, ash killed by EAB can be processed for lumber or can be debarked and used for outdoor furniture or landscaping. Pieces of scrap wood with the bark still attached should be burned, buried or chipped.

What general recommendations are available to communities? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has worked with several communities to deal with EAB infestations. Contact Tivon Feeley at 515-725-8453 or Emma Hanigan at 515-249-1732 for more information.

Where can I find current information about EAB on the Internet? Sites to gather current information about this exotic pest include:
• Emerald Ash Borer Information Network
• Iowa Tree Pests
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Who is a local contact? Call your county ISU Extension office.

Source: ISU Extension