It took a while, but emerald ash borer has finally been confirmed in Emporia.
Wellnitz Tree Care arborist Skyler Delmott says signs of an infestation began developing last summer, but state officials had to confirm the insect’s actual presence before it could announce the infestation, and that step finally happened this past Friday. Now that the insects are here, Delmott says residents need to figure out how to protect their untreated ash trees.
The beetle is green and eats tree tissue under the ash tree bark, killing the tree. Adults typically come out of trees in mid- to late May after infesting trees the prior year. They lay their own eggs shortly after they emerge. Larvae then dig into the ash tree and feed under the bark.
Ash tree owners are encouraged to find licensed pesticide applicators to handle treatments including trunk injections, soil drenching or bark spray. Landowners who suspect an infestation should report it immediately to the Kansas Forest Service by calling 785-532-3300 or by emailing rrastok@ksu.edu. Landowners can also call the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s plant protection and weed control program at 785-564-6700 or by emailing kda.ppwc@ks.gov.
Emerald ash borer was first confirmed in Kansas in 2012 and has been found in 30 states since it was discovered 10 years earlier. It had been confirmed in Osage County last summer.
