An emerald ash borer beetle (Source: N.J. Department of Agriculture)
The beetles are coming.
And that's not good news for ash trees in Monmouth County.
The state Department of Agriculture announced last week that the emerald ash borer, a beautiful but tree-killing invasive beetle from Asia, has been found in Allentown and 13 other towns in five other counties.
It's good that the beetle has been found only in one Monmouth County town so far, but "we always say it’s not a matter of if, but when (it spreads), so it’s gonna spread," said Diane Larson, Monmouth County horticulturist.
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The beetle was found in one trap in Allentown, but that doesn't mean any tree is infested at this time, she said.
The orange areas are where emerald ash borer beetles were found in 2015 and the yellow areas are where they were found in 2014 (Source: N.J. Department of Agriculture)
“The thing with this beetle that makes it somewhat unique is that many beetles will feed on trees that are already dying or under stress and this borer beetle attacks healthy trees,” she said. “That’s why it’s even more of a concern.”
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Ash trees are large and very common shade trees, Larson said. They're often planted along streets and in lawns.
“It’s beautiful, it’s native, beautiful fall colors," she said.
If homeowners notice that a tree’s branches are dying, they should get a certified tree expert to look at it and determine whether it has holes from the emerald ash borer or another borer, Larson said.
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“If it is the emerald ash borer, it should be reported,” she said. “The New Jersey Department of Agriculture does want to know about it.”
People should call the agency at 609-406-6939.
Larson said a professional, certified tree expert can treat the tree “if it’s not far gone." The earlier you address the infestation, the better luck you will have controlling it, she said.
"If the tree is like half-dead or more, it’s probably too late and it would have to be removed to prevent the spread” of the borer, she said.
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William J. Sciarappa, agricultural agent with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County, said ash trees are “signature trees and beautiful trees."
While nurseries in the area may have only an acre of ash trees, “that acre is worth $100,000, so it’s economically important from that perspective when you have to go and replace that species of tree," he said.
“It’s very important when trees get killed that they don’t transport those trees to other counties,” Sciarappa said. “The larvae of the beetles are inside there and they can still mate and spread” to other areas.
Most of the time, holes in trees are “not this fairly large hole with this beautiful little emerald green beetle coming out,” he said. “It’s beautiful, but it’s very destructive.”
While the ash tree population is relatively small compared with oaks, maples and sycamores, every tree species is important, he said. Invasives have killed chestnut trees and other species, he noted.
“We’re constantly having these species turn up and start to attack our woodlands," he said.
"We like to stay on top of things” instead of allowing them to explode, Sciarappa said. “It’s best to nip it in the bud or, in this case, nip it in the wood.”
Here are some tips from the state agriculture agency on how to keep the emerald ash borer from spreading:
- Don't move firewood, which transports tree-killing forest pests, including the borer.
- Use locally sourced firewood when burning it at home and traveling.
- Burn firewood where you buy it.
- Make sure you burn all wood purchased.
- Report signs of the beetle to the state Department of Agriculture by calling 609-406-6939.
- For more information, visit www.emeraldashborer.nj.gov.
