Emerald ash borer spreads to another Ohio county

Lesions left by emerging emerald ash borers.

REYNOLDSBURG, OH — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) recently discovered an infestation of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Delaware County, located in central Ohio. Officials believe the infestation started as a result of the transportation of firewood, ash tree nursery stock, ash logs or other ash tree materials from a quarantined area.

Ash trees infested with EAB typically die within three to five years. In Delaware, all ash trees, visibly infested or not, within one-half mile of the infested tree will be marked for removal. Destroying ash trees within the insect's natural spread is the only known way of eradicating EAB in an already infested area. The state has already destroyed thousands of ash trees in an attempt to stop the spread of the pest.

EAB has spread through eight Ohio counties since it was first identified in the state in 2003. So far, ODA's eradication program has succeeded in eliminating EAB from two counties: Franklin and Defiance.

This very small insect has caused the destruction of thousands of ash trees in Canada, Michigan and Ohio.

For more information, visit the Ohio EAB Web site.

In June, Michigan's governor signed a law increasing the fines for violating an EAB quarantine order to $10,000 and a possible year in prison. People who violate quarantine orders to damage plants, animals or natural resources would face felony charges with fines up to $250,000 and/or five years in prison.