HARTFORD, Vt. – The Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation has advised area foresters and loggers that the emerald ash borer has been detected in Hartford area. This is the first detection of EAB in Windsor County.
The detection was identified by first responders of the Forest Pests Detection Program.
The process of detecting EAB normally involves finding evidence of EAB activity, caused by the larva of the pest as it embeds itself under the bark of ash trees. Detection usually means that the larva has already developed into the adult EAB and is no longer present in the infected tree.
EAB has destroyed an estimated 95% of the ash trees it invades. EAB gradually kills adults ash trees, rendering them extremely brittle. This can result in dangerous situations such as falling limbs.
Since its discovery in Michigan in 2002, the emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America; caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs, or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs; cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators, and forest product industries hundreds of millions of dollars.
The active flight season for EAB is May through September. The larva implanted under the bark of infested ash trees can be active all year. Cold temperatures do not appear to halt that activity.
For more information on EAB, go to www.vtforest.com.