Emerald ash borer is difficult to diagnose when its populations are low, but a combination of the following symptoms is considered suspicious:

• Die back in the upper third of the canopy, followed by progressive decline in the rest of the canopy the following year.

• Presence of vigorous epicormic sprouts below dead portions of the trunk.

• Woodpecker activity on ash trees, an early warning sign of EAB.

• D-shaped exit holes on the tree’s trunk and limbs that are about 1/8th inch in diameter.

(ILLUSTRATION 4).

• Vertical splitting in bark which can be widened to reveal larvae and galleries under bark.

• Presence of S-shaped feeding galleries beneath bark.

 (ILLUSTRATION 5)

Emerald ash borer has now been detected in four states; Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia. Michigan's Core Zone of infestation (the area where EAB was first detected in 2002) includes most of six Michigan counties including and surrounding Detroit, along with areas in Ontario, Canada. A total of thirteen adjoining counties are now included in the Michigan quarantine, with isolated infestations detected in 9 additional Michigan counties. The beetle has been found in 5 Ohio counties, and in Maryland and Virginia. Each EAB infestation outside of the Core Zone resulted from the  movement of infested nursery stock or firewood. Most of these items were moved before quarantines were in effect, but one Michigan grower moved infested nursery stock from a quarantined area to Maryland. The grower was fined several thousand dollars (in addition to having to pay restitution to the Maryland nursery), was placed on two years of probation, and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

WHAT ARE OTHER STATES DOING ABOUT EAB?

How an EAB infestation is treated depends on its location relative to other infestations. The large, contiguous infested area within Michigan’s Core Zone is handled differently than outlying infestations, where the goal shifts from basic management to eradication of isolated infestations.

MICHIGAN’S CORE ZONE

In the generally infested Core Zone, EAB populations are so high that eradication of the insect is not a realistic goal. In this case, efforts are directed at managing the insect until the infestation burns itself out. This is accomplished by removing the beetle's food source and breeding grounds (infested ash trees), and through enforcement of strict quarantines to prohibit movement of ash trees, branches, lumber, firewood and other ash materials. Under current funding restrictions, no money is available to remove trees on private or public property in the Core Zone. Tree removal is the responsibility of individual property owners and local units of government, although there are ongoing efforts to identify other potential resources. After trees are removed, municipalities, private contractors and homeowners are allowed to drop off ash trees/materials at any of several disposal sites for processing free-of-charge. Infested material is then chipped into small pieces and burned. Outlying populations of EAB in Michigan are subject to eradication efforts such as those conducted in Ohio.

Emerald ash borer was first confirmed in Ohio in February, 2003 in Lucas County, near Toledo. Since then, infestations have been found in four more Ohio counties. Ohio will use quarantines, surveys, and removal and destruction of all ash trees in affected areas to eradicate EAB. The Ohio Department of Agriculture hired contractors through a bidding process to perform eradication of EAB with funds committed by USDA-APHIS. There is currently no cost to homeowners for ash tree removal, but this may change as supportive funds are depleted. Unfortunately, eradication of EAB is expensive; costs for eradication of the pest in Lucas County alone exceeded $300,000.

Indiana

Indiana has an estimated 147 million ash trees in its forests and many more ash in urban and ornamental settings. Emerald ash borer has not yet been found in Indiana and there is no way to predict exactly when it will be found. However, the close proximity of positive finds in Michigan and Ohio is of great concern. In 2002, IDNR, Divisions of Forestry and Entomology and Plant Pathology, conducted surveys in Indiana and paid frequent visits to Michigan to learn about and observe EAB. In 2003, IDNR conducted surveys in the northeast and north central parts of Indiana, including street tree surveys in 70 cities and towns and surveys of sawmills, woodlots with ash yellows, state parks, and places that had received ash trees or products from EAB sites in Ohio and Michigan; more extensive surveys for EAB will be conducted in Indiana in 2004. The IDNR also began a public outreach campaign through Purdue University to inform Indiana citizens about EAB, which also has aided in creating a dialog about EAB between themselves and concerned individuals and businesses.

When EAB finally does arrive, Indiana’s management policies will be based on recommendations from the Emerald Ash Borer National Science Panel. The Science Panel, a group of recognized experts in forest entomology and pest management, was established in September 2003 to provide a credible review of EAB management options and to develop recommendations of eradication and control. Robert Waltz, Indiana State Entomologist, is a member of the Science Panel. Recommendations of the Panel • Since there are no completely effective control measures available to combat EAB, the Science Advisory Panel currently recommends a combination of eradication strategies with the aim of eliminating the insect from affected states:

• Intensive surveys for EAB

• State and Federal quarantines

• Destruction of host material from infested areas

• Removal of ash trees (ILLUSTRATION 6)

In quarantined areas, all ash trees, including non-infested trees, within 5 miles of a confirmed infestation would be cut and removed in an effort to eradicate the pest from the area. The 5 mile distance is based upon the likely natural dispersal range of EAB. Ash trees within the designated tree removal zone will be cut and chipped on site into 5/8-inch diameter pieces, thus ensuring the death of any beetle or beetle larvae within.

Since EAB is currently regulated by USDA-APHIS and thus subject to eradication, treatment with insecticides (either by homeowners or on a larger scale) is not recommended at this time. When an infested ash tree is discovered in Indiana, all ash trees within a 5 mile radius will be removed and destroyed, even trees that have been treated with preventative insecticides. This is done because it is unacceptable for eradication purposes to risk the survival of even a tiny number of EAB. Scientific evidence supports eradication as a vital and necessary means of protecting the North American ash resource, which subsequently defends the continent's ash-related forests, industries, and public interests. There is one exception to this rule: in Michigan’s Core Zone, where there are too many infested ash trees for all to be removed and destroyed, some property owners do choose to treat remaining trees with insecticides such as soil injections of imidacloprid. This strategy is acceptable where EAB is already established, but not in eradication zones (in other words, all infested areas outside of the Core Zone).

WHO WILL PAY FOR TREE REMOVAL IN INDIANA WHEN EAB IS FOUND?

Initially, the cost of removal and destruction of affected ash trees in Indiana will be paid for by state and federal funds. However, depending upon how quickly the insect moves through the state and upon the availability of funds in general, these costs may eventually become the responsibility of private citizens, businesses, and municipalities. In March 2004, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that USDA has allocated an additional $28.2 million in emergency funding for the EAB eradication program in addition to the $15.2 million that was to fund the program through April 2004. The funds are earmarked for removal of infested trees outside of Michigan's Core Zone and for targeted surveillance activities, along with quarantine enforcement in areas affected by the pest.

Growers who are far removed from suspect areas may choose to continue planting ash trees for reforestation, but only with the understanding that EAB is a serious threat that will need to be managed in the future. Homeowners and municipalities should probably adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude for a year or so before planting more ash trees. Of course, no single tree species should ever be planted exclusively in any area. Diversification of plantings will lessen the impact of diseases and pests such as EAB.

SHOULD HOOSIERS HARVEST VALUABLE ASH TREES BEFORE EAB ARRIVES IN INDIANA?

There is no definitive answer to this question, mainly because the exact time and location of the insect’s arrival in Indiana is not known. Emerald ash borer naturally expands its territory by about 1/2 to 1 mile  annually, but artificial movement of the pest is unpredictable. The decision to harvest ash before EAB is found instead of risking financial loss later must be made by the individual landowner. In the central and southern regions of Indiana, harvesting should probably proceed according to planned management needs of the forest. Landowners in the northern parts of Indiana (especially the northeast area) should frequently reassess the situation, and may wish to consult their district forester or IDNR for information.

Ash trees in quarantined zones could be processed and salvaged as long as there is no threat of further spreading the beetle to other areas. It is more likely to salvage lumber from forest trees than yard or street trees since the risk of metal objects and poor quality wood is greater in the latter. Sawmills and loggers operating in quarantined zones in Indiana will be required to follow compliance agreements incorporating guidelines on safe processing of infested trees. These guidelines are currently being developed under grant projects in Michigan. Ash trees in quarantined regions need to be de-barked and have at least two growth rings removed to ensure that larval EAB is destroyed, but the remaining wood should be useable

Indiana's New DNR hotline for invasive species will direct you to information on many types of invasive species, including emerald ash borer: 1-866-NO EXOTIC (1-866-663-9684)

Purdue University’s Entomology Extension Service recently published website on emerald ash borer specifically addresses concerns of Indiana citizens:  http://www.entm.purdue.edu/EAB/  Contact the Invasive Insects Education Coordinator at Purdue University: Jodie A. Ellis Exotic Insects Education Coordinator Department of Entomology, Purdue University Smith Hall, 901 W. State Street West Lafayette, IN 47907-2089 Telephone: (765) 494-0822 , Fax: (765) 494-535 e-mail: mailto:ellisj@purdue.edu or ellisj@purdue.edu

Thanks to Dan Herms, The Ohio State University, for much information on regulation of emerald ash borer in Ohio.,