Emerald Ash Borer found in Pope County
Published on June 24, 2024 at 11:59am CDT
Growing Green
By Robin Trott, Extension Educator
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Pope County for the first time. There are now 52 counties in the state, including Pope, with EAB.
A county ag inspector noticed several declining ash trees with woodpecker holes on a landowner’s property in Glenwood Township and contacted the MDA to investigate. EAB larvae was later found, and samples were collected by MDA staff.
EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.
Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Pope County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area. The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.
The public will have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Pope County’s emergency quarantine to the state’s formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through July 26, 2024, and recommends adopting the quarantine on July 29, 2024. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
Send comments to:
Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us
There is more EAB information on the MDA website.
For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension.umn.edu/news or contact Extension Communications at extdigest@umn.edu. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
