Arm yourself against the attack of the Ash tree bug

March 14, 2009 - 12:24pm

Kristi King, WTOP Radio

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - As the weather starts to get warmer, a bug is going to start attacking ash trees. The Emerald Ash Borer has killed millions of ash trees across the country, and has now been spotted in Virginia and Maryland. But before your trees become Borer food, you might be able to help.

One way to prevent infestations from spreading is to know when your trees are being attacked. Debbie Dillon, a urban horticulturist with the Loudoun County Extension Office says you need to know "what the insect looks like, what the larvae looks like, and what the damage looks like."

Dillion says what might start out looking like a dead limb here and there can turn into a full blown infestation that kills an entire tree within 3 to 4 years.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension is holding two free informational meetings on the Emerald Ash Borer. One meeting with be held on March 23rd at the Loudoun Cooperative Extension Office in Leesburg. Another meeting will be held on April 20th at the Cascades Library in Potomac Falls.

Dillion hopes people will attend "to get a handle on what the symptoms look like so they contact their local extension office. Then we can come out and investigate."

If you didn't know the Emerald Ash Borer is a killer, you might think it's pretty. It is an iridescent green and gold. It's been spotted in 14 states, including Maryland and Virginia. Affected areas have ash wood related quarantines. In Virginia the quarantine includes Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William & Fauquier counties, as well as the independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. In Maryland, infested areas under quarantine are Prince George's and Charles Counties.

Dillion says ash trees are used frequently in landscapes and along public streets. "They're normally pretty tough trees. But now this insect has come along and the ash is very susceptible to it."

Kristi King, WTOP Radio

Dillion says what might start out looking like a dead limb here and there can turn into a full blown infestation that kills an entire tree within 3 to 4 years.

Dillion hopes people will attend "to get a handle on what the symptoms look like so they contact their local extension office. Then we can come out and investigate."

Dillion says ash trees are used frequently in landscapes and along public streets. "They're normally pretty tough trees. But now this insect has come along and the ash is very susceptible to it."

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