Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an ash-tree-killing-insect, is slowly working its way in our direction. It no longer appears to be a question of if EAB will get here, but when. EAB had been detected in extreme northern Maine, but recently it has also been detected in Gorham, Maine. You may have noticed a triangular purple trap hanging from a tree somewhere and wondered what it was. It’s an EAB trap, set out to detect EAB activity.

Within the next few years, our ash trees will be under attack and many, if not all, will die. People should start now to identify their ash trees and make a decision whether to try to save them, let them die or remove them before they die and become unsafe (or some combination). It is possible to inject individual high-value trees with insecticide to prolong, or hopefully even save their lives, but it is not practical or economically feasible to protect those ash trees that are in the forest.

The predominant species of ash tree in southern Maine is the white ash. A quick image search for “White Ash Trees” on Google should supply an adequate number of images that will help you identify your ash trees. Pay close attention to both the leaves and the bark. Mountain Ash (not a true ash) is not affected.

This insect will leave significant changes to the local landscape not seen since the Dutch Elm disease of the 1960’s, and before that, the American Chestnut blight of the early 1900s. Ready or not… here it comes.

The author is a licensed Aaborist. You can contact him at 207-693-3831.

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