Important article on the front page of The Daily Progress this week about the growing problem of Emerald Ash Borers in Virginia. They have not invaded central Virginia yet, but given the problem statewide it is important to check regularly for signs of borers. If you signs of borers or declining health in Ash trees on your property it is important to contact a plant health specialist immediately to prevent spreading to other Ash trees on your, and your neighbors, property. You can find out more about plant health and pest management, here, on our website.
Daily Progress
Ash borers turning up in more Virginia localities
By: TED STRONG | Daily Progress
Published: July 17, 2012
The green menace is all around us.
The emerald ash borer — an invasive, tree-killing insect that the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls “the green menace” — has spread like lightning around the commonwealth.
State officials recently confirmed populations to the east, west and south of Central Virginia. A population to the north was already established.
Among the options being considered is a statewide quarantine on firewood and ash products.
The critters have only been known to be in America for about a decade. They were first discovered in Michigan in 2002. By 2003, they’d hitched a ride on some nursery stock to an elementary school in Northern Virginia. Containment efforts — obviously, at this point — failed, and a quarantine zone was set up around Fairfax County.
“The problem is this pest moves around really easily, but it’s not easy to detect until it’s been established for several years,” said Chris Asaro, an entomologist who works as a forest health specialist with the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Read the rest here: http://dailyprogress.com/news/2012/jul/17/ash-borers-turning-more-virginia-localities-ar-2064349/
