Emerald Ash Borer in Wisconsin
Veronica Williams, Andy Lundin, Balin Magee, Zach Smola
Ash trees are a very common and beautiful tree in Wisconsin, and they are used by many people for their lumber. There is a nuisance attacking and destroying the ash tree, and that is the infestation of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB. The adult beetles do little harm to the tree by just eating their foliage, but their larvae burrow beneath the bark of the tree and restrict the tree’s ability to transport nutrients and water. The process takes anywhere from 1-5 years and the infestation is usually widespread in an area. Humans are the main cause of the spread of EAB, and it is very important to be educated on the issue to help preserve our ash …show more content…
The larvae will tunnel through the bark and into the tree in search of food, cutting off the tree’s pathway of water and nutrients while doing so. EAB kills its host tree by consuming the and phloem tissues that transport water and nutrients throughout the tree. In a time as short as one year, an ash tree can go from healthy to dead due to these parasites. So what is the concern with these pests? Ash trees are one of the most popular tree species when it comes to commercial use. Its uses include flooring, baseball bats, and cabinetry to name a few. Not only that, but ash trees are a common urban tree, due to their naturally full and beautiful crown. The Emerald Ash Borer is not just a problem in Wisconsin, however. EAB has been located and quarantined in 30 states and 2 Canadian Provinces, all of which are east of the Rocky Mountains (Emerald Ash Borer Information Network). In all actuality, the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic is fairly new to the United States. It was first detected in Michigan in 2002 and more than likely came from Asia in wood-packing materials. EAB was first discovered in Wisconsin in 2008, and is currently quarantined in 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties (Emerald Ash Borer Information Network). Because the infestation is so widespread it can have a devastating impact on us and our …show more content…
The most common ash here is the black ash, which makes up approximately 3.8% of all trees over 1” diameter in Wisconsin (Why Is EAB Important?). The Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB, infestation of these trees is devastating considering it has over a 99% fatality rate in trees, healthy or not, that are untreated with pesticides (Why Is EAB Important?). It is estimated that around 50 million ash trees are dying or have died in the Midwest because of EAB (Why Is EAB Important?). Normally it takes 2-5 years for the ash tree to start showing symptoms and die, and because of this fact, early detection of an EAB infestation is almost impossible. This also leads to the infestation being more widespread than initial estimations (Why Is EAB Important?). EAB infestations can be damaging to the ecosystem because ash trees provide seeds that are eaten by birds and small mammals. Black ash provide twigs that can be eaten by deer and moose, while cavities in the trunks of these trees can provide nesting places. Ash trees are also culturally important to Native American tribes; black ash provide material for basket weaving, while blue ash contain a natural blue dye(Why Is EAB Important?) . White ash are the most commercially used here in Wisconsin because they have high-elasticity, good shock resistance, and low shrinkage, and while blue ash are not commercially used, they are
Veronica Williams, Andy Lundin, Balin Magee, Zach Smola
Ash trees are a very common and beautiful tree in Wisconsin, and they are used by many people for their lumber. There is a nuisance attacking and destroying the ash tree, and that is the infestation of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB. The adult beetles do little harm to the tree by just eating their foliage, but their larvae burrow beneath the bark of the tree and restrict the tree’s ability to transport nutrients and water. The process takes anywhere from 1-5 years and the infestation is usually widespread in an area. Humans are the main cause of the spread of EAB, and it is very important to be educated on the issue to help preserve our ash …show more content…
The larvae will tunnel through the bark and into the tree in search of food, cutting off the tree’s pathway of water and nutrients while doing so. EAB kills its host tree by consuming the and phloem tissues that transport water and nutrients throughout the tree. In a time as short as one year, an ash tree can go from healthy to dead due to these parasites. So what is the concern with these pests? Ash trees are one of the most popular tree species when it comes to commercial use. Its uses include flooring, baseball bats, and cabinetry to name a few. Not only that, but ash trees are a common urban tree, due to their naturally full and beautiful crown. The Emerald Ash Borer is not just a problem in Wisconsin, however. EAB has been located and quarantined in 30 states and 2 Canadian Provinces, all of which are east of the Rocky Mountains (Emerald Ash Borer Information Network). In all actuality, the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic is fairly new to the United States. It was first detected in Michigan in 2002 and more than likely came from Asia in wood-packing materials. EAB was first discovered in Wisconsin in 2008, and is currently quarantined in 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties (Emerald Ash Borer Information Network). Because the infestation is so widespread it can have a devastating impact on us and our …show more content…
The most common ash here is the black ash, which makes up approximately 3.8% of all trees over 1” diameter in Wisconsin (Why Is EAB Important?). The Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB, infestation of these trees is devastating considering it has over a 99% fatality rate in trees, healthy or not, that are untreated with pesticides (Why Is EAB Important?). It is estimated that around 50 million ash trees are dying or have died in the Midwest because of EAB (Why Is EAB Important?). Normally it takes 2-5 years for the ash tree to start showing symptoms and die, and because of this fact, early detection of an EAB infestation is almost impossible. This also leads to the infestation being more widespread than initial estimations (Why Is EAB Important?). EAB infestations can be damaging to the ecosystem because ash trees provide seeds that are eaten by birds and small mammals. Black ash provide twigs that can be eaten by deer and moose, while cavities in the trunks of these trees can provide nesting places. Ash trees are also culturally important to Native American tribes; black ash provide material for basket weaving, while blue ash contain a natural blue dye(Why Is EAB Important?) . White ash are the most commercially used here in Wisconsin because they have high-elasticity, good shock resistance, and low shrinkage, and while blue ash are not commercially used, they are