MOUNT VERNON — The Emerald Ash Borer, an ash tree-killing insect from Asia, was first identified in Ohio in 2003. Although it has not been found to have infested Knox County, it keeps getting closer.
The latest discovery of an infestation was Sept. 18 in Licking County. As new infestations move closer to Knox County — Licking and Delaware counties both have been infested — it is making local residents who have ash trees very nervous.
One of those residents is Bill Gordon in Apple Valley, who has a stand of ash on his property.
“I don’t know if they’re doing enough to stop it,” Gordon said. “The only way I know that they can stop it is to slow down the movement of the wood. My ash trees are native, they were here when I bought the property. I’ve been here since 1991. When we built the house we only had to cut down one tree, and it wasn’t even an ash. We left the rest.”
Gordon keeps a close eye on his trees.
“I check them once a week,” he said. “It’s getting closer and if that ‘D’ is in there I know I have a problem.”
Gordon was referring to the tell-tale scar made by the borer when it infests a tree. The scar is “D” shaped.
“The forestry was out here maybe three or four months ago,” Gordon said. “They went all around Apple Valley and didn’t find any.”
Gordon said his big concern is not necessarily about the infestation of one tree. However, if one tree is infested, all of the trees within a 75-foot radius of the infected tree must be cut down and destroyed.
There are also rules pertaining to the movement of ash wood and lumber within and between infested and uninfested counties.
It is illegal to move ash trees, ash logs, ash branches, ash wood chips, ash bark and all hardwood firewood out of Ohio's quarantined areas. These materials can move freely within, but cannot leave, contiguous quarantined areas.
So far the rules seem to have slowed the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer, but has not stopped it.
“So far they don’t seem to be here,” Gordon said. “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t here. We won’t really know unless they put out traps and catch them. We’re just guessing.”
Jeff McCutchen of the OSU Extension Office said officials are using a new trap to detect the borers.
“They’ve been putting out purple triangular traps to try to catch the Emerald Ash Borer,” he said. “They’ve been putting them out all across Ohio and here in Knox County. You may have seen them around.”
McCutchen said plans were to place about 7,500 of the traps in areas so far uninfested. Most of those will be concentrated in areas in immediate danger of infestation, like Knox County. While the traps attract the borer, they do not have the range to bring them into an area.
The purple, triangular traps are constructed with three corrugated plastic sides, roughly 1 foot wide and 2 foot tall. The outside of the traps are coated with glue and hung in or near ash trees. They contain a lure, making them more attractive to EAB adult beetles. The traps are set before EAB adults begin to emerge in southern Ohio in late April, and in northern Ohio in mid-May. Placed roughly every 1 1/2 miles, the traps are checked and glue may be re-applied in midsummer. They are removed in the fall for inspection, once adult beetles are no longer flying. The traps pose no risk to humans, domestic pets or wildlife.
The trap uses Manuka Oil to attract the EAB if any are in the area. The surface of the trap is coated with a sticky material, which causes the borer to stick to it. If an infestation is found in the area, appropriate action is taken. Generally, that means finding the infested tree or trees, quarantining an appropriate area and destroying the infected trees.
“But I have 12 ash trees in the yard and a stand of woods where I don’t know how many there are,” Gordon said. “If I lose 12 trees that I’ve babied, it’s tough. It would change the look of the place. I have nine in a row right down there. It would really change the look of the place.”
Once there is an infestation of Emerald Ash Borer, there is no treatment for the trees. Destroying them and enforcing a quarantine are the only ways to fight an infestation.
Penalties are high for those caught defying the quarantine rules. Those caught moving wood in violation of the rules can face fines of up to $4,000.
“The problem is, Gordon said, “is they have to catch them.”
