borers, who tend to attack city and suburban trees. Emerald Ash Borer Affected ash first show dieback in the crown, and may have cracks in the over active feeding Native to , the emerald ash borer is a small, tunnels. As the inner bark is destroyed, the tree dies colorful wood-boring beetle that has already destroyed back and may grow sprouts from the middle or the millions of ash trees base of the trunk. Called epicormic sprouting, this is a I c in the U.S. It was first last-ditch effort for survival by a mortally stressed tree. nse t detected in If you spot these symptoms, look closely at the tree in 2002, and is now causing problems in Ohio and Ontario, Canada as well. Like I 14 the woodwasp, v s o the emerald ash borer n a i n! Emerald Ash Borer by Jerry Carlson and Karin Verschoor Adults: 2" long Slender, golden- is thought to have green iridescent beetle with large entered this country compound eyes via shipping material. 15 While it has not yet Much as a virus or worm can infect an entire computer network, tiny invaders are threatening to wreak havoc on 's Damage created by an Emarald Ash Borer been spotted in New York, it poses a real threat to the forests. Two wood-boring , the sirex woodwasp and the emerald ash borer, have been spotted in or near New York State. state's ash trees. trunk for cracked or loose bark and borer holes that Unwelcome visitors, both species are capable of quickly destroying an entire patch of forest. As such, these insects are the focus During summer, adult emerald ash borers emerge are characristic of emerald ash borer activity. Dieback of intensive research and monitoring by the United States Department of Agriculture, the New York Department of Agriculture and from small "D" shaped holes in ash tree trunks and and epicormic sprouting alone could also be signs of Markets, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). begin eating the tree's leaves. They soon begin to "ash yellows," a disease that has been killing many ash disperse in search of additional food and suitable trees in New York. mates, flying in short spurts of up to 50 feet, though tree, and infect the tree Jerry Carlson is a member of the Steering Committee for the sometimes traveling miles to find host trees. Following Sirex Woodwasp with a fungus which Governor’s Task Force, is a Research Scientist with DEC’s mating, female emerald ash borers lay their eggs in the Forest Health Program. Karin Verschoor works in DEC's Division of softens and modifies crevices on the trunks of ash trees. The larvae burrow Lands and Forests. A large, wood-boring wasp, the sirex woodwasp is a the wood so the IMAGES: under the bark and eat their way through the cambium 1. Stanislaw Kinelski, Polish Forest Research Institute* devastating pest of trees. It is native to can feed on it. The toxin 2. DEC photo (the live inner bark) leaving winding, "s" shaped tun- and Asia, and has already impairs the tree's natural 3. Paula Klasmer, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria* nels. These cause the trees to lose their ability to trans- 4. Stanislaw Kinelski, Polish Forest Research Institute* destroyed millions of in 2 ability to fight off the 5. James W. Smith, USDA APHIS PPQ* port nutrients, and so they slowly starve. , and An example of an infected tree fungal infection, and the * Images provided by www.forestryimages.com To combat the spread of this pest, strict quarantines . Believed to have portion of the tree above the injection site quickly dies. have been implemented in affected areas of Michigan, come into the U.S. in wooden Because of the danger that sirex woodwasps pose You can help scientists curb the spread prohibiting the movement of any ash trees, ash wood packing material such as crates to New York's pines, DEC is asking the public to of invasive species, and benefit our and all hardwood firewood from a quarantine area. or pallets, this woodwasp's first report any sightings of the insect or its damage. Away forests. It was sharp-eyed volunteers Unfortunately, in a violation of the quarantine, a known North American occur- from its native Europe, these wasps have no natural who first spotted a similar pest, the Asian nursery shipped more than 100 uninspected ash trees rence was in Oswego County enemies and so could spread unchecked if not detected to Maryland. A year after these trees were planted, longhorned beetle, when it infected trees in 2005. Since then, it has been early enough. Signs of possible infestation in pines 1 emerald ash borers were discovered in some of the in New York City and Chicago. If you spot found in Onondaga, Wayne, include dying needles in the tree crown, or sudden Sirex Woodwasp trees. Maryland quickly set up a quarantine and signs of either sirex woodwasp or emer- Seneca and Cayuga counties, tree death for no obvious reason. If you suspect a tree (female) Adults: 2-1" removed not only the suspect trees, but also 1,000 ald ash borer activity, contact DEC Lands and has just been detected in may be infected, look on the tree trunk long. Thick bodied; no potential host trees. Today, the infestation appears to and Forests' Forest Health office at: 625 "wasp" waist. Females: southern Canada. for exit holes, often marked by ooz- have been stopped, but scientists will monitor the area Broadway, Albany 12233-4253; by e-mail solid black body with Sirex woodwasps are solitary ing resin. Woodwasp exit holes will for at least three more years. at [email protected], or by phone spear-like ovipositor black wasps with brownish be randomly scattered on the tree, in Males: wide orange New York State's ash trees are a waiting feast for at (518) 402-9425. Visit DEC's website at wings and orange legs. Females contrast to regular rows of holes made band on abdomen the emerald ash borer. In the past 20 years, hybrid lay their eggs in pine tree by sapsuckers. Also, keep an eye on any www.dec.state.ny.us for the latest informa- ash have been widely planted along streets and used trunks, where the eggs hatch into white, wood-boring cut wood with tunnels throughout the tion on these and other invasive species. in commercial landscaping such as mall parking lots. grubs. The grubs then tunnel through the tree, eventu- wood. The presence of white larva with For more information, see The Asian Since these trees are generally somewhat stressed and ally emerging as adults through holes measuring 1/4 a distinctive back spine or "" 13 Longhorned Beetle in the February 2001 also perfectly spaced for easy beetle flight from tree to to 3/8 inch in diameter. During the egg-laying process, on the rear indicates a sirex woodwasp Detail of the Conservationist. infestation. charastic back tree, they make perfect targets for the emerald ash female woodwasps also inject a toxin to weaken the "horntail" spine SIDEBAR 26 New York State Conservationist, April 2006 27

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