12,000 Ash trees in the city of Delaware will have to be cut down to stem the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. The Asian insect has already caused the loss of almost a quarter-million trees mostly in northwestern Ohio. WOSU's Sam Hendren reports
The Emerald Ash Borer is believed to have come to the U.S. in infected wooden crates through ports in Michigan. It was discovered two years ago in Ohio and was found this summer in a Delaware housing development
We noticed this tree wasn't leafing out properly, and came over and looked at it and do you see the little holes
Underneath the bark of this young ornamental ash, resident Lannie Kaye says the insect larvae had already done damage
I'm not an entomologist but apparently they lay their eggs at the top and they make these galleries and that's what kills the tree because it cuts off the sustenance that's going up in this layer
12,000 trees within a half-mile radius of the neighborhood - including 18 ornamentals in Kaye's subdivision - will be destroyed. According to the state agriculture department's Melissa Brewer, it's the most effective way to deal with the flying insect The emerald ash borer flies less than a half mile per year. So when we have an infestation going in and removing every infestation within that half-mile radius, removes all the tress that aren't yet showing signs of infestation. Cutting them down and chipping them to less than half an inch has been proven to destroy the larvae.
235,000 of Ohio's estimated 3.8 billion ash trees have already been destroyed by the ODA. Most of the ones to be removed in Delaware are less than 10 inches in diameter. Brewer says firewood should not be transported from the area where it's cut because it spreads the Ash Borer. The state of Ohio has quarantines in place to help contain the pest. Sam Hendren, WOSU News.