The Minnesota Department of Agriculture confirmed emerald ash borer in Crow Wing County for the first time.
A suspected infestation was discovered near Brainerd, the agriculture department reported in a Monday, Jan. 29, news release. Larvae were later found, and samples were collected. Federal identification confirmed the samples as emerald ash borer.
Because this is the first time emerald ash borer has been identified in Crow Wing County, the state is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county. The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.
The agriculture department issues quarantines for all areas known to have emerald ash borers to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.
The destructive pest 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.
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Categories: Minnesota, General