Officials with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry say the emerald ash borer (EAB), a severe insect pest of ash trees, has been confirmed in Webster Parish making Louisiana the 25th state to confirm the presence of this beetle.
Experts say the EAB is a federally-regulated plant pest that almost exclusively attacks ash trees. It was first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002. The beetle, which is native to Asia, most likely entered the country on wooden pallets. Since that time, it has reportedly spread down the East Coast as far south as North Carolina and Georgia and west to Colorado. It was found in southern Arkansas in July 2014.
Feeding damage creates characteristic S-shaped tunnels, or galleries, in the sapwood causing initial branch dieback. After several years, the infested trees die.
“Louisiana’s ash trees are primarily located along the Atchafalaya Basin and the Mississippi River Delta. However, ash trees are also planted in many urban areas for its aesthetic appeal,” said Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M. “As mentioned last year when EAB was discovered in our neighboring state of Arkansas, it could be costly for residents or city officials to have them removed once they start dying.”
The LDAF and USDA-PPQ have surveyed for EAB adult beetles annually for the past seven years using sticky traps baited with lure scents which are attractive to the beetles. A trap survey will resume again in the spring when adults become active. Survey results will help determine the extent of the beetle presence in the state and the potential regulatory actions necessary to reduce the spread of the pest. Regulated products would include ash nursery stock, ash logs, lumber and pallets and all hardwood firewood.
From KSLA 12 News: https://www.ksla.com/story/28144646/emerald-ash-borer-detected-in-louisiana