Emerald ash borer (EAB) is becoming more widespread in Missouri with 78 counties known to have this tree-killing pest. If you have a live ash tree in your yard and you’d like to see it stay that way, now is the time to treat it with an insecticide.
What insecticide should you use? That’s a great question! Not all products will protect your tree from EAB, so it’s important to understand your options when it comes to this pest. Check out MDC’s EAB Management Guide for Missouri Homeowners for a list of insecticides recommended by EAB experts.
In addition to brushing up on insecticides, follow these steps when considering ash treatments:
1. Make sure your tree is an ash! Learn to identify ash trees in this MDC video.
2. Check the health of your tree. Look for dead branches, sprouts growing from the trunk, and woodpecker damage. If more than 50% of the tree’s canopy is dead, it likely can’t be saved.
3. Measure your tree at chest height. If the diameter is 20 inches or less, you can treat the tree yourself using a soil drench insecticide purchased online or at your local garden center. If the tree is larger than 20 inches in diameter, it needs to be treated by a professional arborist. Visit www.treesaregood.org for a list of certified arborists in your area.
4. Now is the time to treat! The best time for homeowners to apply EAB treatments is during the spring as ash trees are leafing out. Waiting until later in the growing season can lead to slower uptake by the tree and less protection from EAB.
For questions related to EAB or ash tree treatments, send an email to [email protected] or call MDC’s Forest Entomologist, Robbie Doerhoff, at (573)815-7901, extension 2906.
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