Invasive insect expands to Emporia trees
EMPORIA (KSNT) - State officials confirm an invasive insect targeting local trees has spread to a new area in northeast Kansas.
The Kansas Forest Service (KFS) updated its website recently, confirming that emerald ash borer (EAB) insects have now spread further south to Lyon County. This marks the 14th county in the Sunflower State to be afflicted by the pests since their discovery in 2012.
Kansas State University's Research & Extension Office issued a news release on the discovery in late May, stating that emerald ash borers are confirmed in the City of Emporia as of May 24. The insects were suspected to be living in the surrounding county but it was difficult for officials to make the declaration.
“In order to officially confirm EAB, the Kansas Department of Agriculture requires an adult or larvae specimen,” said Matt Norville with the Kansas Forest Service. “It can be challenging for foresters or arborists working in these communities who may see declining ash and the galleries the insects leave behind, but detecting the actual insect is essential to making the call that it is officially in the county.”
The full list of counties which have emerald ash borers include the following:
- Wyandotte - 2012
- Johnson - 2013
- Leavenworth - 2014
- Douglas - 2015
- Jefferson - 2015
- Atchison - 2016
- Doniphan - 2017
- Shawnee - 2017
- Miami - 2019
- Jackson - 2019
- Brown - 2022
- Osage - 2022
- Franklin - 2023
- Lyon - 2024
The EAB is described as a green invasive, wood-boring beetle which targets and kills ash trees by eating tissues beneath the bark. They tend to emerge in May from trees infested the previous year. Larvae bore into the ash tree and feed under the bark, leaving behind distinct tracks. Infested trees, depending on their size, may endure the insects for one or two years if they are small while larger ones may linger for around four years.
“Trees can tolerate borer activity for a few years, but without treatment they will eventually decline,” Norville said.
Norville recommends early detection and treatment to prevent tree death. Pesticides, if applied quickly, can save some trees from being destroyed by the insects.
“We mostly want to encourage communities to plan for pests and diseases and increase their community tree diversity,” Norville said. “We’ve seen how diseases like Dutch elm disease and pests like emerald ash borer can have a devastating impact on communities that have an abundance of one type of tree. Communities that plan for tree removal due to age and overall health should be planting replacement trees that are a mix of native and proven cultivars.”
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