The Department of Natural Resources revealed emerald ash borer has been detected in two locations in Jackson County. It has been spotted in the far northwest part of the county in the Maumee area and also at the Vallonia Nursery.

The emerald ash borer, a green beetle, is native to Asia and Eastern Russia. Outside its native region, it is an invasive species and its infestation is considered to be quite devastating for ash trees.

In June 2002 in Michigan, the emerald ash borer was first discovered in America. It is considered that the emerald ash borer was by-chance introduced to America in ash wood. Maximum damage to tree from the emerald ash borer is when the insect is in its larvae stage.

In this stage, the larvae feed on the conductive tissue of the tree. The tissues are vital as they transfer nutrients and water from the roots to leaves and once, the system gets disturbed then the three begins to die.

The tree would be dead by the following year or soon after. Prevention of the emerald ash borer is possible with the use of a systemic insecticide into the base of the tree. With this treatment, one can prevent damage to the three for up to two years.

Another method is soil injection. In this method, insecticides are directly injected into the soil surrounding the base of the tree and get transported through the rest of the tree.

There are eight billion ash trees in America and around 150-200 million ash tree have already died from the emerald ash borer and the number is expected to rise.