stLouISTIt's Not Too Late to Protect Your Trees from Emerald Ash Borers
If your ash tree’s canopy is thinning, bark is flaking off in patches, or woodpeckers are suddenly interested in your trunk, you may be seeing the signs of an emerald ash borer infestation. These bright green beetles may look harmless—no bigger than a penny—but their larvae are devastating tree killers, and they’ve been sweeping through the Midwest for years. In late spring, adult emerald ash borers lay eggs in the cracks of your ash tree’s bark. When the eggs hatch, the tiny larvae chew their way under the surface and begin tunneling through the soft layer just beneath the bark. That’s where your ash moves water and nutrients. As the larvae feed, they leave behind winding S-shaped galleries that slowly choke the tree from the inside out. Over time, your tree’s upper branches begin to die off, bark splits open, and shoots sprout directly from the trunk—a desperate attempt by the tree to survive. Left untreated, the damage builds year afte