What emerald ash borer does
Emerald ash borer is a small, metallic green beetle from Asia. Its larvae tunnel under the bark of ash trees and cut off the flow of water and nutrients. Most infested ash trees die within a few years once symptoms show. It has spread through much of North Carolina, including the mountains, so almost any untreated ash in the Asheville area is at risk.
Signs your ash tree is infested
- Thinning at the top of the tree, with dead branches in the upper canopy
- Bark splitting or falling off in strips
- Small D-shaped exit holes, about an eighth of an inch across, in the bark
- Woodpecker damage, with lighter patches where birds have stripped the bark looking for larvae
- Sprouts growing from the trunk or base as the tree struggles
Why you shouldn’t wait
Dead ash is different from most dead trees. It dries out and turns brittle very quickly, so limbs, tops and even trunks can snap with little warning. Brittle trees are also unsafe to climb, which means more equipment and more time to take them down. An ash that could be removed routinely this year can become a difficult, more expensive job a year or two later.
Treat or remove?
Healthy or lightly affected, and valuable to you: ask a licensed applicator about treatment. It must be repeated on a schedule.
Thin crown, dead top or bark falling off: plan a removal, especially if it is near your house, driveway or power lines.
Not sure: book a tree health assessment. We will tell you plainly what we see.