Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been detected in almost all of Iowa’s 99 counties, including Dickinson County. The emerald ash borer’s larval stage is responsible for the damage that leads to the death of its host. The larvae’s feeding under the tree bark, eventually damaging the tree’s ability to transport moisture and nutrients from the soil to the tree’s leaves, causes ash tree decline and death.
Spring, from mid-April to mid-May, is the best time to treat for EAB. Insecticides are most effective when the ash tree is actively growing and uptake is at its peak. Tree service companies can apply insecticide trunk injections through the summer if soil moisture is available.
Native to Asia, this invasive species is thought to have been brought to the United States in packing materials.