Invasive emerald ash borer discovered in Putnam County

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect that kills ash trees, has been detected for the first time in Putnam and Shelby counties, both quarantined areas.

In Putnam County, EAB was detected in a woodlot in Jefferson Township on the north side of Interstate 70.

A consulting forester found it while conducting forest management work for the landowner.

The Shelby County detection occurred on the east side of Shelbyville. The infested tree there was found by DNR Entomology nursery inspectors conducting a survey to detect walnut trees to use in a thousand canker disease survey this summer.


EAB, first detected in Indiana in 2004, has now been found in 61 Indiana counties. The primary mode of transport for this pest is through movement of firewood in campgrounds.

Both counties were already quarantined when a larger quarantined area was created in late 2011 for biological and economic reasons. Indiana's EAB-quarantined area includes all but 12 counties, all of which are in the southwestern part of the state.

The Indiana EAB quarantine regulates the movement of certain materials such as whole ash trees, ash limbs, untreated ash lumber with the bark attached, and cut firewood of any hardwood species with the bark attached

Moving regulated materials out of the quarantined area to the 12 southwestern counties requires a compliance agreement from the DNR.

Movement of regulated materials within the quarantined area is not restricted. However, DNR recommends against moving regulated material from April 15 through July, when EAB is emerging and flying to find trees to infest. Moving regulated materials during this time helps spread EAB.

Visitors can bring firewood onto DNR properties if it is certified by the USDA or DNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology, or is free of bark.

An application for a compliance agreement can be filed by contacting the DNR Entomology & Plant Pathology at (317) 232-4120.

To view quarantined areas and EAB sightings in Indiana, see dnr.IN.gov/entomolo/5349.htm.
 
For more information on EAB, or to report an infestation, visit eabindiana.info or call Indiana DNR's toll-free hotline at 1-866-NO EXOTIC (663-9684).

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  • It would have been a good idea to put a picture of the insect with this article.

    -- Posted by cll on Wed, Mar 13, 2013, at 12:01 PM
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