What was once just a pesky pest up north has now traveled down south. Watch out Littleton, the Emerald Ash Borers have arrived. So if you want to protect your ash trees, now is the time to call us for preventative measures.
Emerald Ash Borers are not native here in Colorado. In fact, these insects are typically seen more in Minnesota or Michigan due to their ash tree density. However, we first saw this insect arrive in Boulder County back in 2013 likely due to the transportation of ash tree firewood. Now, a decade later, it’s been determined that the latest migration into Littleton is likely due to all the high-elevation winds we’ve been receiving with the storms.
This southward migration can become quite a problem for anyone with an ash tree, as these trees make up 15% of Colorado’s urban canopy, with 1.45 million ash trees in the Denver Metro Area alone.
It’s during this early summer season that larvae begin to infest and eat your trees from the inside out, so treatment of this pest is timely and critical. These borers have the capacity to destroy your ash trees before you even realize it.
We’ve mentioned before how EABs are harmful to your trees, but here are some ways to recognize them and treat these pests and protect your ash trees.
EAB adults can be difficult to identify, but there will be noticeable changes in your ash tree. For instance, you’ll want to take notice of any D-shaped holes, curved galleries, or little grooves under the bark, and sudden declines in your tree’s health; those will be the top signs pests have infiltrated your tree.
However, other insects tend to do similar things to other trees as well, so if you’re uncertain of your tree’s health condition, don’t hesitate in calling an ArborScape professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to protect your ash trees. Because once infected, it only takes two to four years for the tree to fully die.
That’s why we typically perform this preventative treatment in April or May when the weather finally warms up. This year is a special case though, as it didn’t heat up enough until late last month in June for us to see these insects grow and emerge.
And what’s more on these interesting weather patterns we’ve been seeing, all the storms bringing out these high winds are also sending these pests into areas they haven’t been in before- such as Littleton.
So while we’ve focused more of our efforts on the EAB in areas like Brighton and Westminister, we now need to pay equal attention to Littleton and the surrounding areas to target these insects and protect your ash trees.
Protect Your Ash Trees
One option to target these pests is with an injection of special chemicals into the bark of the targeted ash tree. Another option involves soaking the soil around the ash tree with a specialized treatment injection. We’ve seen that chemical treatments work best when applied before the tree becomes infested. 
Throughout the years, our arborists have been working hard to build their knowledge and uphold certifications around this insect as it becomes more prominent throughout the state. It’s through this work that we’ve found a treatment option that works hard to protect your ash trees.
Our arbor systemic micro injection contains mectinite, which has an active ingredient called emamectin benzoate that includes a glocyside insecticide. This is toxic to ingest, so the EAB have no choice but to leave or perish in the tree in which they’ve bored into.
However, the effectiveness of these treatments is dependent on the tree’s condition, the time of the year, and the systemic pesticide that’s used. So if you’re worried about the condition of your ash tree, don’t hesitate to give us a call for preventative options.
It may sound easy to inject or apply these pesticides yourself, but if you want to save your tree, the easiest solution will be to call in the specialists. Don’t expose yourself to harmful pesticides; our certified technicians are equipped with the proper tools and knowledge to protect your ash trees.
If these borers are left too long, your tree stands no chance. If the insects haven’t eaten your tree to the point of decay, then it’ll be left susceptible to other insects or inclement weather; like when your immune system is weakened and you’re more likely to get sick.
So don’t wait for these borers to destroy your trees! Visit our website or give us a call at (303) 806-8733 for a free estimate on what it would take to keep your ash trees safe.