Destructive emerald ash borers found in St. Paul

Stephanie Hemphill
St. Paul, Minn.

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Emerald ash borer
The emerald ash borer is responsible for millions of dollars of damage to ash trees in Michigan, and it's spreading to other states. The adult borer is a metallic, coppery-green color and one-third to one-half inch long.
Photo by David Cappaert of Michigan State University, courtesy of www.forestryimages.org

A tree care company reported finding larvae, and a USDA lab has made a preliminary confirmation that they're the young of emerald ash borer beetles.

No one is sure how the pests made it to St. Paul, but one possibility is firewood moved from an infested area. Minnesota Agriculture Department spokesman Michael Schommer said that's always a bad idea.

Emerald ash borer map
This map, provided by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shows the spread of the emerald ash borer. Officials believe outlying infestations in Missouri, Wisconsin and West Virginia were likely spread by people moving infected ash firewood or logs.
U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture

"Don't move firewood, regardless of whether emerald ash borer is in your immediate area," Schommer said. "It's not a good idea because many forest pests can spread that way."

Schommer said the green beetles have probably been in the trees for several years.

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"Obviously, it's a time for folks to be watching their ash trees," Schommer said. "If they do see warning signs, it's appropriate to call their city forester of the extension service or the Department of Agriculture; we have resources we can offer. But also if you're planting new trees, it's certainly a good idea to consider species other than ash at this point."

Officials will survey the trees in the area to decide on other responses to the pest.

Last month, a similar quarantine was imposed in Houston County, because officials feared the beetle had crossed the Mississippi River from Wisconsin.

Emerald ash borers have killed millions of trees in ten eastern states. Minnesota has an estimated 900 million ash trees.

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