WacoTrib By CASSIE L. SMITH 1/10/2019
Baylor University biology professor Joseph White has been studying the ash trees in his backyard a little closer since news that officials confirmed an invasive beetle that decimates the trees was present in Tarrant County, less than 100 miles away.
“I’m really resistant to just dousing them with a bunch of chemicals. I know it’s going to go into the seeds,†White said. “I’m not really against chemicals per se, but I just want to wait, I guess. I may just let nature take its course and unfortunately I may lose my ash trees and have to start over again.â€
Though the emerald ash borer has not been spotted in McLennan County, its slow spread across the continent means the future looks bleak for the area’s ash trees.
The beetle was first documented in North America in 2002 near Detroit and, as of last year, had killed millions of ash trees in 35 U.S. states and the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Manitoba, according to the Emerald Ash Borer Information Network.
The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage, causing little damage. But the larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, according to the network.
White, whose background is primarily in forestry and ecosystems related to trees, is among the experts nationwide monitoring the emerald ash borer’s spread. All species of ash are susceptible to the beetle, and trees typically die within five years of infestation, he said.
“There’s no eradication of it,†White said. “It’s going to happen, so to speak. It’s just a sad deal that it’s now here.â€
More:
https://www.wacotrib.com/news/environment/beetle-s-spread-means-bleak-future-for-local-ash-trees/article_ce1daeaa-0520-5b86-a7b4-79d881d59637.html