There are many risks to the trees in your yard and you should be taking all the steps necessary to prevent as many of those risks from damaging, or even killing, your trees as possible. One of the things that you need to protect your ash trees from is a beetle called the Emerald ash borer. You can learn more about this beetle and how you can protect your trees by reading this article.
Recognizing and understanding the Emerald ash borer
The Emerald ash borer grows to be about a third of an inch long and it is normally a dark green color that looks almost metallic, although sometimes a gold coloring can also be seen throughout the top of its body. When the beetle has its wings spread open a red coloring can also be seen.
An interesting thing to know about this beetle is the adults actually cause less damage to trees than the larvae. This is due to the fact that the adults eat the foliage of the trees, which does little damage, while the larvae go down into the inner bark of the trees. If you look, you can even see the tunnels that have been created by the larvae. This is the part of the tree where the nutrients and water travel in order to sustain the tree. While an individual beetle is small and the larvae even smaller, these beetles are capable of decimating full-grown ash trees.
Preventing an Emerald ash borer infestation
It is easier for you to prevent a serious infestation of the Emerald ash borer than it will be for you to get rid of them once you are dealing with a full-blown infestation. One of the best ways of preventing extensive damage to the ash trees on your property is to recognize a problem early on, so you can schedule emerald ash borer treatment right away, before the beetles move on to more trees or do even more damage.
You also want to take steps to prevent the Emerald ash borer from being brought onto your property in the first place. A couple of examples of things that you can do in order to prevent these pests from coming onto your property include doing things like buying your firewood from a local supplier that you stick with each year and make sure that all of the firewood has been burned before the springtime comes, as this is when the beetles will start stirring again and will then make their way to your trees. Also, always be sure you contact a tree service immediately to come out and inspect your trees if you have any reason to believe you may have an issue with these pests.
