Emerald Ash Borer is now in 37 Minnesota counties

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was recently confirmed in Isanti County for the first time by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Now 37 of the state’s 87 counties have confirmed insect infestations.

The most recent infestation

A tree care company contacted the MDA after suspecting a group of trees in Standford Township was infested with EAB. MDA staff were able to find EAB larvae and collect samples. There was also another pocket of infested trees found about a mile from the originally reported location. Federal identification confirmed emerald ash borer.

Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Isanti County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the southern portion of Isanti county south of State Highway 95, which limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.

The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Isanti County will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meeting

Wednesday, November 30, 2022
10-11 a.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab

The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Isanti County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through Dec 22, 2022 and recommends adopting the quarantine on January 3, 2023. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.

Comments can be made during the virtual meeting or by contacting:

Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
kimberly.tcremers@state.mn.us

History of emerald ash borer in Minnesota

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.

More about emerald ash borer

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), EAB is native to China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Russian Far East.

The insect was first discovered in the U.S. in 2002 in southeast Michigan. Since then, infestations have been confirmed in 36 states.