Patriot Tree Company - 720-295-8733

PROTECT YOUR ASH TREES

The invasive Emerald ash borer (EAB) is native to Asia and was first detected in North America in 2002, in southeast Michigan. Since then, it has spread to 32 states and 2 Canadian provinces. It has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in these states, and threatens many more. It was first detected in Colorado in September of 2013 in Boulder, its presence in Colorado is a result of people bringing firewood from the Midwest.

***EAB has been confirmed in Gunbarrel in August of 2015***

***EAB has been confirmed in Longmont in June of 2016***

***EAB has been confirmed in Lafayette in August of 2017***

***EAB has been confirmed in Lyons in March of 2018***

***EAB has been confirmed in Superior in June of 2018***

***EAB has been confirmed in Louisville in June of 2019***

***EAB has been confirmed in Broomfield in August of 2019***

EAB is an invasive pest that will attack and kill both unhealthy and healthy ash trees in the area it is present. The larvae of this wood boring insect tunnel through the water and nutrient conducting tissue just under the bark, cutting off supplies to the crown of the tree and causing a drought-like die back in the crown. EAB will kill an infested tree within 3-5 years of first attacking that ash. Other signs and symptoms of EAB presence in a tree include epicormic sprouts low on the trunk, S-shaped larval galleries under the bark, and D-shaped exit holes on the bark. 

Now that EAB is here, homeowners in the Boulder County area must now start considering their options for the ash trees on their properties. If a tree is determined to have EAB present and more than 30% crown dieback, the tree must be removed and disposed of properly. If there is no EAB present in the tree and the crown is healthy, there are recommended treatments to help keep your ash trees healthy and EAB free!  If there is no EAB present but the trees is unhealthy (drought stress, native ash borers, ect.) or undesirable (bad location, poor structure, ect.), or not located close to a known infestation, the homeowner may decide that no treatment or removal is necessary at this time.
Treatment for EAB includes applying a systemic insecticide to be taken up into the tree through either the roots (soil injection) or through direct truck injection, and transported through the tree by the water and nutrient conducting tissue in the trunk and branches. This tissue is the same material that the EAB larvae eat, and the pesticide will kill the larvae before they are able to do significant damage. Method of application and chemical used will depend on the size of the tree to be treated.

For trees under 12” DBH (diameter of tree approximately 4 ft. above the ground), soil injection method will be used to avoid having to drill directly into the trunk of younger trees. Soil injections will involve the use of the insecticide Xytect 2F (imidicloprid). For trees over 12” DBH, a direct trunk injection of Tree-Age (emamectin benzoate) will be used. While this method is more invasive (having to drill into trunk causes minor damage), the application will be good for 2-3 years and avoids having to introduce pesticides into the soil. Both applications have been shown to be 90-99% effective against EAB when applied correctly. Since treatments for EAB involve a systemic insecticide, the tree to be treated needs to be healthy, with little or no crown dieback or damage from native ash borers, to be effective. Give us a call today to schedule a FREE tree evaluation and estimate with a Certified Arborist to determine what treatment options are most appropriate for you and your property!

Lilac ash borer (Native)

Before 2014, we (in Colorado) only had one major boring insect to worry about: Lilac-ash borer. This is a native insect whose larvae tunnel around branch unions, weakening them and making branches susceptible to breaking or will simply killing the branch outright. Infestation from native ash borer usually results in the loss of major branches, ruining the shape of the tree’s crown and making it undesirable as a specimen tree in your yard.
Treatment for native ash borers is simple and involves a specifically timed, once per year spray to the bark of your ash tree. This spray happens during April or May (depending on weather) and is 99% effective at preventing native ash borers from laying eggs in your tree. This treatment is recommended for all ash trees on the Front Range under 20” DBH (diameter at breast height), regardless of location and extent of previous damage.
Due to the destructive nature of both native ash borer and EAB, treatment for both may be recommended for your ash trees. Both treatments would occur at approximately the same time, one being a bark spray for control of native ash borer and the other a systemic treatment for control of EAB.  Once a tree has become infested, there are no longer treatment options and removal of the tree will be required. The key is to start treatments ASAP to ensure your ash trees are protected and continue to provide value to your property and your family for years to come. 

Boulder County under quarantine!

Since EAB had been confirmed in Boulder County, a quarantine has been established to help control the spread of this destructive insect. No ash wood products (firewood and mulch primarily) are legally allowed to leave Boulder County and must be disposed of at approved marshalling yards. Please see this page for more info on the EAB quarantine: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/ag_Plants/CBON/1251646251641
HELP LIMIT THE SPREAD OF EAB IN COLORADO; DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD OR OTHER WOOD PRODUCTS!
Links:
Colorado Department of Agriculture EAB page: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/ag_Plants/CBON/1251646251641
Emerald Ash Borer info: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/
EAB identification and reporting: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=ag_Plants%2FCBONLayout&cid=1251646350045&pagename=CBONWrapper