EMPORIA (KSNT) – State officials confirm that an invasive insect attacking local trees has spread to a new area in northeast Kansas.
The Kansas Forest Service (KFS) updated its website recently, confirming that emerald ash borer (EAB) insects have now spread further south to Lyon County. This marks the 14th county in the Sunflower State to be affected by the pests since their discovery in 2012.
The Kansas State University Office of Research and Extension issued a press release about the discovery in late May, stating that emerald ash borers were confirmed in the city of Emporia as of May 24. The insects were suspected of living in the surrounding county, but it was difficult for officials to make the statement.
“To officially confirm EAB, the Kansas Department of Agriculture requires an adult specimen or larva,” said Matt Norville of the Kansas Forest Service. “It can be a challenge for foresters or arborists working in these communities, who can see the diminishing ash and galleries left by the insects, but spotting the actual insect is essential to knowing it is officially in the county.”
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The complete list of counties that have emerald ash borers includes the following:
- Wyandotte – 2012
- Johnson – 2013
- Leavenworth – 2014
- Douglas – 2015
- Jefferson – 2015
- Atchison – 2016
- Donifán – 2017
- Shawnee – 2017
- Miami – 2019
- Jackson – 2019
- Brown – 2022
- Osage – 2022
- Franklin – 2023
- Leon – 2024
EAB is described as an invasive green wood-boring beetle that attacks and kills ash trees by eating the tissues beneath the bark. They usually emerge in May from trees infested the previous year. The larvae bore into the ash tree and feed beneath the bark, leaving distinct tracks. Infested trees, depending on their size, can withstand the insects for one or two years if they are small, while larger ones can remain for around four years.
“Trees can tolerate borer activity for a few years, but without treatment they will eventually decline,” Norville said.
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Norville recommends early detection and treatment to prevent tree death. Pesticides, if applied quickly, can prevent some trees from being destroyed by insects.
“Primarily we want to encourage communities to plan for pests and diseases and increase the diversity of community trees,” Norville said. “We have seen how diseases like Dutch elm disease and pests like the emerald ash borer can have a devastating impact on communities that have an abundance of one type of tree. “Communities that plan to remove trees due to their age and general health should plant replacement trees that are a combination of native and proven cultivars.”
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