Emerald Ash Borer Treatment
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a non-native invasive beetle species that was first detected in Maine in 2018. It attacks all types of ash trees except for mountain ash. EAB larvae hatch from eggs in early summer and bore into the bark and phloem layer of ash trees. The larvae feed on the inner layers of wood within the tree, creating tunnels or galleries that can reduce the natural flow of water, nutrients, and sugars, essentially girdling the tree to death. Fully grown larvae eventually pupate in the late fall and overwinter within these galleries inside the tree. Adult beetles emerge May-August when they mate and deposit eggs into the crevasses of susceptible ash trees. The adult beetles are metallic green with a slim, pointed body approximately half an inch in length. The exit holes it makes from trees that have been attacked is shaped like a “D”.
All ash trees in the State of Maine are susceptible to this pest and preventative treatment is imperative for the protection of your ash trees. Even healthy trees can be killed within 2-3 years of EAB infestation. There are currently quarantines in various areas in Maine where EAB has been detected but it will only slow the natural spread of this invasive pest.
Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Options
EAB bores into the inner layers of the tree and therefore can only be treated with a systemic product that is translocated throughout the sapwood of the tree where the EAB is feeding. At Hawkes Tree Service we recommend a systemic trunk injection that will protect your tree for 2-3 years depending on the overall health and size of your ash trees.
Maine Pest Control Guidelines
The State of Maine has strict guidelines for which products and treatment methods may be used for Winter Moth within 250 feet of the mean high water mark. These laws are designed to protect the integrity of marine ecosystems and habitats. Inside this setback zone we recommend individual tree injections. Soil injections use a small volume of product inserted near the base of the tree’s root flares where the fibrous root hairs can absorb it. The systemic product is translocated throughout the tree with other nutrients and delivered to the new tissue in growing leaves.
Trunk injections work in a similar way and use a systemic product as well. In this case, we actually drill a small hole into the root flares of the tree and insert a needle that is connected to a system containing our product. The tree will pull the product in as it does with water and other nutrients and when we are done the tree will compartmentalize the small wounds and quickly heal over.
Every property is a bit different when it comes to treatment methods for Winter Moth. If you would like more information or a free consultation for your property, please contact us or call today at (207) 442-7444.
