Making My Yard More Functional

Posted on: 17 August 2018

Every season brings new pests that have the ability to damage the trees in your landscape. The emerald ash borer is one of these pests, and it is rapidly becoming a major threat to the health of trees throughout the United States. While no one is sure how these beetles made it here from Asia, the one thing that everyone knows to be true is that an infestation can take down ash trees in only a couple of years. To protect your favorite trees and our valuable forests, you can use these tips to spread awareness about these pests and stop them from invading your property.

Avoid Spreading the Problem

One of the most basic tenants of emerald ash borer prevention is to always use local firewood. Transferring firewood and other untreated natural wood products from one place to another is an easy way to carry pests straight to your property. For added protection, burn any remaining firewood that you have leftover from the winter before the spring season so that any remaining larva cannot spread to your live trees.

Watch For Signs of Pest Activity

Emerald ash borers can infest trees for several years before there is noticeable damage. However, you can be proactive by watching for subtle signs of an infestation. Trees that are infested by emerald ash borers begin to experience signs of poor health such as sparse leaves on the crown of the tree. Over time, vertical splits in the bark of the tree may also occur, and s-shaped tunnels created by the beetles may be seen if you look behind the peeling bark. Although there are not too many predators of emerald ash borers, you should be concerned if you see increased woodpecker activity beyond the normal patterns around your trees.

Talk to Your Neighbors About the Threat

If you do suspect that emerald ash borers have hit your property, then a professional inspection can confirm an infestation. Keep in mind that emerald ash borer treatment is most effective if you catch infestations before they can spread to neighboring properties. Make sure that all of your neighbors know about the current invasion of emerald ash borers, and give them information about how to treat the problem if they notice the warning signs.

At first glance, you might not think that a little beetle could cause such significant devastation, but the emerald ash borer population is a serious threat to all of the ash trees in an affected area. By doing your part to minimize the risk of spreading these pests, you can feel good about your role in helping to protect the environment. Contact a service, like Schulhoff Tree & Lawn Care, Inc., for more help.