The Ash tree is a prominent species of tree here in Middlebury. Unfortunately it is under attack from a very small boring beetle from the Buprestids family of metallic wood boring beetles. This one is emerald green in color and is killing Ash trees with an alarming pace across the entire country. The Emerald Ash Borer has a 1 or 2 year life cycle and only effects Ash trees. It comes to us from Asia as an invasive pest. Adult beetles lay eggs in crevices in the bark. After hatching this pest tunnels around just underneath the bark while completing a full metamorphosis. This feeding on the Cambium layer of the tree is what kills the tree. This part of the tree can be compared to a vital organ in a human.
While this information is certainly important, I think how this will effect our community should be understood. I’m sure you might have noticed an up tic on the amount of dead and failing trees around town. While all of them are not Ash trees, a lot are.
The Middlebury area was ground zero when this pest was discovered just up the hill in Prospect. There were quarantine areas and restrictions. This arborist and crew were making efforts to identify and slow the spread of EAB. We were proud to submit a positive ID and samples to the Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven. Our crew discovered EAB while working in Waterbury. There are still strict laws preventing the movement of wood / timber across state lines.
Treatment of your specimen trees is imperative to its survival. Your trees quite possibly are already infested. A licensed arborist like myself would be able to identify these Ash trees in order to safeguard your property. Failing Ash trees are continuing to cause property damage. My business and I help customers identify these trees so they can be removed before they cause damage to life and property.
- Tips for identifying an infested Ash tree include abnormal removal of a layer of bark by woodpeckers causing a blonding effect or discoloration along the trunk and a pile of bark at the base of the tree. Small woodpecker holes along with D shaped exit holes in the bark. Galleys and tunneling under the bark along with loose / cracked bark.
State and local officials are overwhelmed with hazardous / failing and dead Ash trees along roads and public areas. By now you might have seen many of these trees fail and fall. In Connecticut we have a unique situation. Our state is considered to be one of the most densely populated. In addition approximately 60% of the over 3,000,000 acres are forested. This making Connecticut one of the most heavily forested states as well.
– Joseph Bernardi
/ Arborist S-4657 Brothers’ Tree Service LLC.