Emerald Ash Borer Spotted in Olathe

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On July 31st, officials confirmed an Emerald Ash Borer sighting near the intersection of 119th & Ridgeview Rd. in Olathe, KS.

This bug is the cause of thousands of ash tree deaths from Canada as far south as Olathe, KS now. If you have wooded real estate in Olathe, or have valued ash trees in your landscape, you’ll want to know more about how to protect your trees.

Fast Facts about EAB

  • Slender metallic-green beetle that is less than an inch in length.emerald-ash-borer-tree-damage-olathe-ks
  • In the summer of 2012 it reached the Kansas City metropolitan area.
  • Ash borer larvae feed on the vascular cambium under the bark and stop the flow of food.
  • Early signs are dieback in top canopy of tree.
  • All ash trees will die without treatment.
  • In the Kansas City metropolitan area, 6.4 million ashes are on track to die as early as 2015 unless they receive insecticide treatment.

Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer

emerald-ash-borer-olathe-ks-trees-infestedTo prevent your ash trees from becoming infested, we recommend a preventative stem or soil injection, depending on the size of your tree. Trees less than 6″ in diameter may be treated annually with systemic insecticide injected into the soil. Trees greater than 6″ in diameter may be treated every two years with an insecticide injected directly into the trunk of your tree.

If you need Emerald Ash Borer help, call in a KC Arborist today at (913) 390-0033 or (816) 965-0539.