The Emerald Ash Borer Beetle And Northern Indiana

What I am writing about today is extremely serious in nature, especially if you have an ash tree on your property. The emerald ash borer beetle is a very REAL threat to NW Indiana. In fact, I will go on record and say that if you have an ash tree on your property, it is not a matter or IF it is infested, it’s a matter or WHEN it WILL be infested. If you have an ash tree, you have three choices.

1) do nothing, it will be infested withing 3 years and die

2) cut it down now and plant something else (check with your township prior)

3) get it treated by a certified professional

ash trees line streets in Aberdeen area, Valparaiso, IN

I know that sounds harsh ya’ll, but I have been working in the lawn and landscape business (the ‘green industry’) since I was 16-years-old and I have never seen a threat this serious. There are confirmed visual sitings of Emerald Ash Borer in Porter County… that means they are ALREADY in Lake County and we will very soon have official confirmation.

In fact, I have two autumn purple ash planted in my parkway in Crown Point and I have already treated them this spring. (follow along to learn about treatment options)

What Is Emerald Ash Borer?

In short, it is a serious threat, but I know I already said that, so here is a more “official” definition:

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in south-eastern Michigan outside of Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult emerald ash beetles feed on ash foliage/leaves but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. (this is the serious part)

Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in summer 2008, and Minnesota, New York, and Kentucky in the spring of 2009.

You can see that the first discovery in EAB in Northern Indiana was 2004 and we have only had confirmed spreading since then. This is not going away guys and you must do what is necessary to save your trees.

Emerald Ash Borer adult.

How To Identify Ash Trees NW Indiana

I guess it is pretty important for you guys to know if you even have ash trees on your proerty before you go getting all panicky!

First off, I’ll tell you that ash are one of the most commonly planted parkway trees in newer subdivisions in Indiana and Illinois. They are very easy to grow, don’t drop any seed helicopters (like silver maple do), live a long time, get very large rather quickly and look nice.  Ash trees are great trees, and and they are worth saving. Here are some pictures that will help you identify if you have ash trees on your property in NW Indiana.

Rough bark of mature ash tree. Young ash have smoother bark.

Ash tree leaves up close

How To Treat Your Ash Trees Against EAB

Before you read any further, I 100% recommend you have a certified professional treat your ash trees and protect them against emerald ash borer. A true professional will use a system designed for ash trees and the EAB called “Arbor Jet.” This is the best way to administer proper pesticides in a responsible way and also gives you a 2-year guarantee. You can contact me through the Around Crown Point contact page and I will point you to a certified professional. Click Here.

These ash trees in the Village At Burns Harbor have been protected with soil injection and trunk spraying

On smaller ash trees, you can also use soil injections of Merit. Merit is an insecticide used systemically to protect plants from a variety of insects. I have used it to save lawns from grub worms, eradicate scale insects and also as a protection for EAB. Once again, I highly recommend you have a pro do this service, but if you want your own soil distrubuted Merit product, here it is below.

I will be writing about EAB and the threat a lot more here over the coming months and years. Let me know if you have any questions. I hold professional licensing in Indiana and Illinois and I will tell you straight what I think. cool?