By Liberty Lawn Emerald Ash Borer • Management • Treatment 0 Comments

Treatment Options for an Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

There are two primary options when it comes to dealing with an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. The most drastic choice is removing the tree altogether. This is usually only recommended if the tree is so irreparably damaged that it is dying and becoming an eyesore or is a threat to other trees, nearby power lines or structures.

Often, the most affordable Emerald Ash Borer treatment is chemical insecticides. If keeping the tree in place is important to you, this is the best option. These treatments should be done between March and mid-June to properly kill the Emerald Ash Bore larvae. Depending on your situation and personal preference, you can choose between insecticides that are injected into the tree trunk, soaked into the ground around the trunk, or applied with a sprayer on the entire tree. These treatments need to be repeated to be as effective as possible, so you will need to remember to apply the treatment every year or two to keep the Ash Borers from coming back.

EAB Insecticides used:

#1. Mauget System for smaller trees: Inject and using Capsules filled with Imicide insecticide

#2 TREEage Arborjet System for larger trees: Injection using IV pressurized system with Emamectin Benzoate insecticide

#3 Emamectin Benzoate is a new product which claims to provide up to 3-year protection against the EAB. While still relatively new to our area, this new insecticide has shown good results in eastern US states.

At Liberty Lawn & Landscape, we pride ourselves on using the best and most updated products on the market but at the same time we are very leery about using our customers as “Guinea Pigs” for new products. We will use the Mauget Injection System again in 2019 and if test results for Emamectin Benzoate come back positive in eastern Nebraska in 2020 we will be switching treatment programs accordingly. I am told the costs per application may be slightly higher using this new system, but the overall cost will be much less.

If you think you might have an EAB infestation, here’s what you do:

Have your tree(s) evaluated for their current health.  It is important to have an expert evaluate the condition of your trees and determine the source of your concern.  The experts at Liberty Lawn and Landscape will do the evaluation free of charge.

Assess the importance of the tree (or trees) to your overall landscape design.  If it’s determined that the tree (or trees) in question don’t add value to your outdoor space, it might make more sense to opt for removal. It makes no sense to treat a tree that has no relative value to the property.  Again, the certified professionals at Liberty Lawn and Landscape have years of experience and will help you evaluate your project and make recommendations as to the best course of action.

The USDA makes the following recommendations on their website:

  • Don’t move firewood. EAB larvae can survive hidden in the bark of firewood. Remember: buy local, burn local.
  • Inspect your trees. If you see any sign or symptom of an EAB infestation, contact your State agriculture agency.
  • Talk to friends, neighbors and co-workers about EAB and what they should be aware of on their trees.
  • Ask questions. If you receive ash nursery stock or firewood, know its point of origin and your supplier, as larvae could be hiding under the bark.
  • Know State and Federal regulations. Make sure you understand regulations that govern your state and those you may visit.
  • Know the quarantines in your area and learn to leave hungry pests behind

Liberty Lawn & Landscape Inc will:

#1 Evaluate the health and viability of the Ash Tree(s)

#2 Measure the circumference of the ash tree and produce treatment estimate

#3 upon approval of estimate, treat the ash tree(s)

If you have ash trees in Lincoln, Nebraska, early detection and prompt treatment can save your trees before they die. At Liberty Lawn and Landscape, we have professional licensed state of Nebraska Arborists who can evaluate your trees and let you know more about treatment options for your unique situation. Contact our team of professionals today to schedule a free evaluation of your property.

By Liberty Lawn Emerald Ash Borer • Management 0 Comments

Emerald Ash Bore – Treatment vs. Removal

Ash Trees and the Emerald Ash Borer

Ash trees are one of the most popular trees in the United States. They cover millions of acres, but ever since 2002, they’ve been vulnerable to an insect that was accidentally imported from overseas.

If you have ash trees on your property, you’re probably aware of the metallic-looking green beetle known as the emerald ash borer. Emerald ash borers disrupt the tree’s ability to feed itself water and nutrients. These beetles can kill their tree hosts within one to four years, depending on the size of the tree. However, if the infestation is detected early enough, a mature tree (with a circumference of 14 inches or more) stands a good chance of surviving and thriving after being treated.

Signs of an emerald ash bore infestation may include the following, according to the Arbor Day Foundation’s “Tree Health Guide:”

  • Exit holes shaped like a “D”
  • Increased woodpecker activity
  • Leaves at the crown of the tree are thinning/dying
  • Splitting bark
  • The tree is sprouting suckers (young sprouts or new leaves) near its base
  • Tunnels appearing under the bark – these look like wavy lines on the bark of the tree

Your ash tree could fall prey to this insect pest even if you don’t know you have the beetle on your property. Call Liberty Lawn & Landscape to have your tree evaluated for its current health. Liberty Lawn & Landscape will evaluate your tree free of charge.

If you do have the emerald ash bore, you may be wondering: What will happen to my trees? Will they need to be removed? Can they be treated?

Treatment vs. Removal

Once you’ve had Liberty Lawn & Landscape Inc. evaluate the health of your tree, next determine the importance of your ash tree to your landscape. There’s no point in treating a tree that has little or no value to you in the overall landscaping of your property. If the tree is of relatively little value to your property, you’ll probably decide to have it removed rather than treated.

Another considering when you’re thinking about treatment vs. removal is the circumference of the ash tree. You should consider removal if your ash tree is less than 14″ (inches) around. This isn’t an absolute rule, but the recommendation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is that ash trees with a circumference of less than 14″ be removed rather than treated when infected with the emerald ash borer.

Emerald Ash Borer Treatment with Liberty Lawn & Landscape

Liberty Lawn & Lawnscape Inc. can deal with known or suspected emerald ash borer activity in your ash tree in three stages:

  1.  We come out to your property to evaluate the health and viability of your ash tree or trees.
  2. We measure the circumference of your ash tree(s). Remember, the circumference of the ash tree factors into the decision on whether to treat or remove the tree.
  3. Once you approve our estimate, we treat your ash tree with an insecticide that kills the emerald ash borers.

In the case of the emerald ash borer, the soon the tree is treated, the better its chances of surviving.

Insecticides Used For Emerald Ash Borer Cases

Depending upon the size of the ash tree, Liberty Lawn & Lawnscape Inc. uses one of two insecticides:

#1. Mauget System: This method of targeting the beetles is injected into the tree. It uses capsules filled with Imicide insecticide. This emerald ash bore treatment is most effective when used on smaller trees.

This method is environmentally friendly. In its more than 50 years in business, the J.J. Mauget Company has always been a leader in environmentally-friendly ways of treating trees.

#2 TREEage Arborjet System: This method of targeting the beetle infestation uses an injection using IV pressurized system with Emamectin Benzoate insecticide. It’s most effective when used with larger trees.

Like a hospital IV system used on the human body, the TREEage Arborjet system introduces the insecticide into the tree’s vascular system, which is the tree equivalent of veins and arteries. Rather than using spray insecticides that affect the surrounding plants and soil, this efficient delivery system targets the emerald ash borer pests directly. It kills the beetle’s larvae as well as adult beetles that have already emerged.

If your property has one or more ash trees with signs of emerald ash borer infestation, get in touch with Liberty Lawn & Landscape Inc. You’ll want your tree evaluated for health as soon as possible, and the evaluation is free of charge. If you do have emerald ash borers living in your ash tree, Liberty Lawn & Landscape will provide you with a timely, reasonable estimate for emerald ash bore treatment that will minimize the damage so you can get back to enjoying the view from your property instead of worrying about invasive insects.