Emerald Ash Borer found in Pennsylvania (July 11, 2007)

Emerald ash borer was detected for the first time in Pennsylvania in Cranberry Township, Butler County. On June 21, two adult beetles were captured while two USDA APHIS surveyors were conducting visual surveys. A quarantine has been placed on Butler, Lawrence, Allegheny and Beaver counties to slow the spread of the beetle. The quarantine restricts the movement of ash tree materials and all hardwood firewood due to difficultly in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood. For more information on EAB in Pennsylvania visit these websites:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/fpm_invasives_EAB.aspx
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/Ornamentals/EmeraldAshBorerInfo/EmeraldAshBorer.html

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) was first discovered in Michigan in June 2002. Since its initial discovery in Michigan, emerald ash borer (EAB) has been found in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. In order to limit the human-mediated spread of EAB, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are under a federal quarantine that prohibits movement of ash tree materials and hardwood firewood outside the quarantine area. In 2003 infestations in Maryland and Virginia resulted from nursery stock brought in from Michigan. Maryland has a state quarantine in place to prevent movement of materials that could harbor EAB. For a map of EAB locations see:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/MultiState_EABpos.pdf

The emerald ash borer is a golden green beetle with darker, metallic emerald green wing covers and is about ½ inch in length. In the United State EAB has attacked white ash (Fraxinus americana), black ash (F.nigra), red ash (F. pennslyvanica), green ash (F. pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima) and several horticultural varieties of ash. Distinct S-shaped tunnels beneath the bark are formed from larval feeding. Adults emerge in June to early July leaving D-shaped exit holes 3-4mm in diameter in the bark.
For more information and photos of emerald ash borer visit our website:
Emerald Ash Borer: http://massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/emeraldashborer.html

The pest alert is from the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project, a collaborative project between the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the UMass Extension Agriculture and Landscape Program aimed at preventing the establishment of new pathogens and pests in Massachusetts. Visit the project website (http://www.massnrc.org/pests) for more information on other emerging pests or to subscribe and unsubscribe for pest alerts.