The emerald ash borer threatens the relationships ash trees have with their environment. They provide shade for understory plants, seeds and leaves as food for small animals, nesting areas for birds, and wood products for humans. The Animals Ash trees provide food and space for nesting, roosting, and denning cavities for many birds and animals. 150 species of butterflies and moth larvae depend on ash as their host. Birds and other animals depend on these caterpillars for food as well. Woodpeckers protect ash trees by eating the emerald ash borer larvae from the ash tree bark. Heavy woodpecker damage on ash might indicate an infection of the emerald ash borer. Young ash trees provide a food source for many animals such as deer and moose. The loss of ash trees create openings in the tree canopy which increase sunlight, moisture, and temperatures on the forest floor. This has caused ground beetle populations to decline in diversity and survival. The Plants Openings in the forest canopy, from lost ash trees, can change the forest landscape for understory plants. These open spaces could invite invasive species to grow, pushing out native species that prefer the shade of the canopy. The Ghost Orchid The ghost orchid (above) was cultivated by Atlanta Botanic Garden. Photo by Bailee Hopkins-Hensley The ghost orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) is a threatened epiphytic plant in the orchid family that is native to Florida and Cuba. They grow only on pop ash trees (Fraxinus caroliniana) and pond apple (Annona glabra) trees. They are very difficult to cultivate and many depend on pop ash trees for their survival. The Soil If ash trees are lost, more carbon would be released into the atmosphere instead being of stored in the soil. The Waters Some ash species, including black ash (Fraxinus nigra), grow in wetland habitats where they rely on water to survive and uptake a significant amount of water. Fewer black ash trees could lead to water level rises in the wetlands. There are 16 species of ash, in the genus Fraxinus, that are native to North America—all affected by the emerald ash borer. White Ash (Fraxinus americana) Blue Ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Pumpkin Ash (Fraxinus profunda).