Since Emerald Ash Borers (EAB’s) were discovered back in Detroit in 2002, the pest has killed millions of trees across the country, costing the US government billions of dollars in lost resources and damages. Infestations have been documented almost coast to coast, with EAB’s turning up in places like Colorado, Texas and even Delaware.
The challenge with ebbing the flow of the EAB is that frankly, they spread too fast to stop entirely. Efforts on the part of the US Government and Environmentalists have focused more on mitigation and limiting the overall movement of the species. Many of those programs have prioritized surveillance over elimination as well as prevention in less-effected areas of the country.
New Hampshire and the Seacoast recently saw the emergence of EAB’s and as such, it’s important to learn about how you can limit the damage they can do to the trees you care most about.
What to do
The good news about Emerald Ash Borers is that as deadly as they can be – they are immensely treatable once caught – and those remedies can include both DIY and professional options.
The first step as always is to get your tree evaluated to make sure that it’s a candidate for preservation. If the treatment is applied at the right time, it can have as high as success rate as 95%.
From there, it’s time to choose a treatment plan. There are essentially four treatment options at your disposal: soil injection, trunk injection, bark spray or canopy spray. The two most common are soil and trunk injections. While both are invasive, they also deliver treatment directly to the tissue of the tree itself – which results in a more even dispersal throughout the trees’ trunk and cavity. More specifically, injections can often pick off the larvae within the tree that may have already hatched; thus preventing the most destructive phase of the infestation from occurring in the first place.
Sprays can also be used – but those are used primarily to deal with adult borers who’ve already emerged and have begun to feed on the exterior of the tree. It also prevents them from laying eggs and perpetuating the pest’s lifecycle. In many instances, sprays are used as a last resort to treat trees where it might be too late to preserve them; but treating them with a spray will help mitigate the impact on the surrounding environment and immediate area.
There are also a wide range of DIY options available but as is frequently the case – the application timing, the correct dosage, type of product you use… all must be taken into careful consideration before taking action. While many products are both easy to use and can be applied by homeowners, it’s not necessarily recommended. Many over the counter products lack the necessary concentration levels needed for prevention and treatment of specific situations, so hiring a pro may end up being necessary anyway.
Which also goes without saying that if you are in a situation where your tree is infested with something that can kill it – like an EAB – making sure you get everything right is critical if you’re serious about saving the tree – and it’s probably time to call a pro.
Regardless if you decide to use a pro or take a whack at it yourself, you most certainly need to get started immediately. The earlier you begin treatment, the better your chances of successfully saving your trees.
New Hampshire and the Seacoast recently saw the emergence of EAB’s and as such, it’s important to learn about how you can limit the damage they can do to the trees you care most about.
What to do
The good news about Emerald Ash Borers is that as deadly as they can be – they are immensely treatable once caught – and those remedies can include both DIY and professional options.
The first step as always is to get your tree evaluated to make sure that it’s a candidate for preservation. If the treatment is applied at the right time, it can have as high as success rate as 95%.
From there, it’s time to choose a treatment plan. There are essentially four treatment options at your disposal: soil injection, trunk injection, bark spray or canopy spray. The two most common are soil and trunk injections. While both are invasive, they also deliver treatment directly to the tissue of the tree itself – which results in a more even dispersal throughout the trees’ trunk and cavity. More specifically, injections can often pick off the larvae within the tree that may have already hatched; thus preventing the most destructive phase of the infestation from occurring in the first place.
Sprays can also be used – but those are used primarily to deal with adult borers who’ve already emerged and have begun to feed on the exterior of the tree. It also prevents them from laying eggs and perpetuating the pest’s lifecycle. In many instances, sprays are used as a last resort to treat trees where it might be too late to preserve them; but treating them with a spray will help mitigate the impact on the surrounding environment and immediate area.
There are also a wide range of DIY options available but as is frequently the case – the application timing, the correct dosage, type of product you use… all must be taken into careful consideration before taking action. While many products are both easy to use and can be applied by homeowners, it’s not necessarily recommended. Many over the counter products lack the necessary concentration levels needed for prevention and treatment of specific situations, so hiring a pro may end up being necessary anyway.
Which also goes without saying that if you are in a situation where your tree is infested with something that can kill it – like an EAB – making sure you get everything right is critical if you’re serious about saving the tree – and it’s probably time to call a pro.
Regardless if you decide to use a pro or take a whack at it yourself, you most certainly need to get started immediately. The earlier you begin treatment, the better your chances of successfully saving your trees.
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