The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a destructive, invasive, wood-boring pest of ash trees. Native to Asia, the emerald ash borer beetle (EAB) was first discovered in 2002 in Michigan. Since then, the EAB has spread to 35 states including Texas, where it was first detected in April of 2016 in Harrison County. The EAB is responsible for killing millions of ash trees across the country and all 16 types of ash trees are vulnerable to attack. The EAB kills both stressed and healthy ash trees and is a significant threat to urban, suburban, and rural forests.
According to TreeNewal President and Founder, David Gaona, “[The] adult EAB is bright, metallic green, about 1/2″ long and 1/8″ wide, with a cylindrical body and a flattened back. It will spread to all ash trees, resulting in the non-sustainability of the ash tree and eventually killing them.”
In order to further educate their team on the EAB and how to properly use Rainbow’s product, Mectinite, TreeNewal participated in a workshop hosted by Rainbow. This workshop was designed to provide attendees with the most up-to-date information on the identification and management of this invasive insect. Through education and proper application of the tree injection treatment, Mectinite, TreeNewal can better serve their customers and preserve native tree species for a sustainable future.
What’s next for the treatment of EAB populations on ash trees? TreeNewal is committed to the continuing education of our team surrounding EAB identification and treatment with the proper use of Rainbow’s product, Mectinite. The active ingredient in Mectinite, emamectin benzoate, is the only product to have effectively provided two years of control through a single professional application. In the meantime, TreeNewal recommends Dallas residents not plant ash trees in North Texas indefinitely unless the owner is willing to commit to regular, preventative treatments.
