Did Wisconsin’s Cold Winter Destroy the Emerald Ash Borer?
Posted:
2019 | Emerald Ash Borer | Spring
At the end of January, the state of Wisconsin experienced temperatures near -35 degrees F including wind chill. For a couple of days, we were colder than the continent of Antarctica. As the cold weather kept everyone inside, it was reported on the news that these temperatures may have destroyed all of the Emerald Ash Borer larvae that had been nestled in ash winter trees until their next stage. However, just like humans were sheltered by homes, EAB larvae were sheltered from both the cold temperatures and wind chill due to the bark they reside in. Are the cold temperatures experienced really enough to completely remove them as a big problem in Wisconsin?
According to Wisconsin DNR Forestry News, overwintering larvae were examined roughly a week after we experienced harsh temperatures. Pulled from Waukesha County where temperatures peaked at -26, only a handful of larvae had noticeable signs of damage from freezing. After only a few days indoors, larvae continued to move as normal. While many larvae will die from cold temperatures, the Emerald Ash Borer will continue to be a problem throughout this year. Here’s why.
The female Emerald Ash Borer is capable of laying a couple of hundred eggs during the summer months. Because of this, we will continue to see an issue in Wisconsin ash trees. However, Wachtel Tree Science isn’t done fighting to protect our trees from the EAB. Management plans will resume as normal to ensure the proper treatments are being implemented to minimize overall damage caused by one of Wisconsin’s deadliest tree pests.
Wachtel’s Management Plans for the EAB and Cold Weather
Though spring is here, there’s still time to have your trees inspected for EAB and develop a management program to keep them away from harming your trees. Our certified arborists have spent many years protecting trees from the Emerald Ash Borer and are dedicated to continuing to perform the duties needed to keep them from winning. Check out our Emerald Ash Borer blog for more information on identification and treatment. To get connected with an arborist and develop a management plan, contact us today.
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Ash trees were an important street and shade tree for many years. They were tough native trees that stood up to a variety of conditions with relatively few problems. Unfortunately, the introduction of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) from China about 20 years ago changed all that.
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