Emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Ringgold County, making it the 52nd county in Iowa where the destructive insect has been found.A tree crew spotted suspect ash trees, in rural Tingley.
“We are already up to 13 new counties confirmed with EAB this year,” said Mike Kintner, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship EAB and gypsy moth coordinator. “As we continue to track EAB’s spread across the state, people are encouraged to report suspect trees in counties that have not yet been declared positive.”
Tree experts say EAB-infested ash trees can include branch dieback in the upper crown, water sprouts along the trunk and main branches, vertical bark splits, D-shaped emergence holes, S-shaped tunneling under loose bark, as well as woodpecker damage. All ash tree species are susceptible to attack by EAB.
The Iowa DNR says the larval stage of this insect kills ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves water and nutrients throughout the tree.
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