The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Kanabec County for the first time, as well as additional areas in Cass and Isanti counties. There are now 47 counties in the state with EAB.
These finds are attributed to EAB surveys being conducted this fall and winter by the MDA in 156 Minnesota communities. The MDA was awarded a grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service to conduct these surveys, which will assist communities in their efforts to protect forests. Surveying will continue through spring.
In Kanabec County, EAB infestations were found near the town of Quamba along Highway 23. Additional infestations were found near Hackensack in Cass County and Cambridge in Isanti County.
EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.
Click here to read more mn.us
Photo Credit: gettyimages-paul-hartley
Categories: Minnesota, General