Emerald Ash Borer
You may not live in an area where ash trees are native, or you may not have ever seen one. But if you’re a Canadian who has driven past a street lined with mature trees or gone camping in a provincial park, chances are you’ve spotted an ash tree.
If you live in Ontario, you’ve probably noticed the ever-growing number of dead ash trees across your area—and you’re not alone. There’s a good chance that the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect from Asia, has made its way to your area and killed off most of the ash trees there. The good news is that the spread of this tiny beetle can be slowed by cutting down any infected trees and treating them before replanting them in new areas away from their original locations.
What is an EAB?
The Emerald Ash Borer is a small, bright green beetle that is native to Asia. The EAB was first discovered in North America in 2002, and since then, it has killed millions of ash trees across . The EAB loves to eat the bark of ash trees, and eventually, the tree will die. The EAB is a silent killer because it takes years for a tree to die from an infestation. Once the tree is dead, all that's left are leaves on the ground and some very large holes in our forests.

What does this mean for you?
If you have an ash tree on your property, it is at risk of being killed by this pest and it may be best to have it removed before it dies so we can save other trees too!

Luckily there are some steps that can be taken to help prevent the Emerald Ash Borer from killing your tree. First and foremost, do not transport firewood out of areas where the Emerald Ash Borer is known to exist. If you want to cut down an ash tree for whatever reason, make sure any logs or branches from your ash tree get chipped and disposed of properly so they don't end up in a wood pile somewhere and give rise to another potential problem with the Emerald Ash Borer.

Is there anything we can do?
If you think your ash tree may be affected by the Emerald Ash Borer, there are a few things you can do. First, have one of our certified arborist assess your tree. If they confirm that your tree is infested, you can try one of the following treatments: trunk injections, soil drenching, or tree surround. Trunk injections are the most effective treatment, but they are also the most expensive. The injection consists of injecting an insecticide into the bark around the base of the tree's trunk to kill larvae and eggs as well as any emerald ash borers in contact with it. The other two treatments are less effective because they don't penetrate to the root system where new insects emerge from. Even if these treatments work, you'll need to keep doing them for three years before the emerald ash borer stops attacking.

The good news is that there are many other types of trees that you can plant in its place. So, while the loss of the ash tree is devastating, it does not mean the end of your landscaping. There are many varieties of plants and trees available for planting and care in its place. If you are unsure what to do, contact us to speak with one of our arborists for expert guidance.