If My Trees Have Emerald Ash Borers, Is There Anything I Can Do to Save Them?

How do these beetles infect your tree? The larva of the emerald ash borer hatches on your ash tree’s branch. By doing this, the invasion will disrupt the nutrition system and eventually kill the tree over time.

The key to stopping infection and treating it right away is through detecting it early on. Below are some of the most common signs of an ash borer infestation:

• Woodpecker holes and the loss of your tree barks are among the early signs of an infection of the emerald ash borer beetle.
• As the beetles increase in numbers, your tree’s leaves will begin to thin, starting from the top.

Below are other signs of a sick and dying tree:

• Poor structure, such as your tree beginning to lean on one side or having an unnatural growth pattern.
• The appearance of mushroom spores, soft and breakable wood, or other signs of your tree decaying.
• If you notice your tree branches not attached properly, or when your branches are starting to fall.

There are available treatment options and efforts for the protection of trees against emerald ash borers. Treatments are usually 80-90 percent effective, but your tree needs to be in good condition, and the treatment should be done at the right time by an expert. The usual treatment options for emerald ash borers are:

• Soil or trunk injection
• Application of bark spray
• Canopy sprays

Soil and trunk injections are the most commonly used treatments because they target the beetles inside the tree itself. The sprays are applied directly to the tree and left to be soaked in through the trunk and branches.

If emerald ash borers are widespread in your area, expect your trees to become infected in just a few years. It is therefore important to preserve them and treat them if they are infected. But how do you decide if your tree needs treatment? What you need to do is to have your tree inspected by a professional in order to determine if it can still be saved.

If removal of the tree is advised, then you should probably proceed to cut it instead. Cutting it is evident of your tree has already lost a large chunk of its leaves, but if most of its canopy is still there, then you might still be able to save it. The next step is to evaluate the costs of treating along with the value of your tree. Do your feel that the price for the treatment is worth it? Does it have sentimental value?

The overall cost of treatment varies. However, keep in mind that infected trees need to be re-treated again at least once every year, or once in two years, especially if the infestation is common in your area.