SPOT AND STOP EMERALD ASH BORER

By City of West Fargo Staff

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect species that kills ash trees. EAB has recently been found in Moorhead, MN and the City of West Fargo Forestry Division is taking steps to prevent its spread into North Dakota.

EAB larvae kill ash trees by making a home under the bark and sapping water and nutrients away from the tree. They can survive harsh winters, and have killed millions of trees throughout the U.S. The insects spread as trees are used for fire wood, mulch, lumbar or when ash trees are transported to and from nurseries.

How to Spot EAB:

• EAB only impacts ash trees, so it is important to identify the trees on your property. In West Fargo all boulevard trees can be identified using our Tree Finder, which can be found by scanning the QR code.

Bark:

On young trees, bark is relatively smooth and may have an orange cast. As trees age, the bark becomes gray and develops diamond shaped ridges.

Seeds:

Individual seeds are held in samaras that each have a single wing. Seeds occur in clusters that may stay on the tree well into winter.

• To determine if other trees are ash, download a plant identification app like PlantNet or look for the characteristics of the tree’s leaves, branches, seeds and bark.

• If you are still unsure, contact the City’s Forestry Division and a professional arborist can come to inspect your trees.

• If you do have ash trees on your property, examine them for signs of EAB.

• S-shaped tunnels in the bark

• Splitting bark

• D-shaped exit holes in the bark

• Thinning of the tree’s upper canopy

• Sprouts at the tree’s base