Norfolk County's ash trees are now in danger. The emerald ash borer has started infecting the area and is doing it fast.
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a green jewel beetle that is native to Eastern Asia. This bug is known to feed on ash trees. Outside of its native habitat, this insect is highly destructive and invasive especially to the ash trees in North American countries. Local governments had been working in an attempt to control the spread, as well as diversifying the ash trees and usage of insecticides in getting rid of the bug.
The emerald ash borer's natural habitat are parts of eastern Russia, Northern China, Japan and Korea. The core population of this insect is found in Michigan, surrounding states and provinces. Now the population is slowly spreading eastward and hits New Jersey.
The adult emerald ash borers are bright metallic green, and they reach 0.33 inch long and 0.06 wide. The adults begin to surface from trees, and after emergence, they go on feed for weeks on ash tree leaves. They go on mating quickly and usually produce 40-70 eggs. The elder female emerald ash borers can lay up to 200 eggs.
The insecticides used in killing the beetle have active ingredients such as imidacloprid, emamectin benzoate and dinotefuran. Insecticides are only a sustainable option in urban areas with high value trees near ash bore invasions. Most of the ash trees are treated with injection, into their bark or through soil drench.
"In order to treat the tree with pesticides, it needs to be strong enough to bring it up through the vascular system of the tree, and in most cases it just doesn't have the energy left to do so," County arborist Adam Chamberlin said.
