EAB found in Keokuk County

Last weeks positive identification of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Keokuk County brings the number of Iowa counties infested with one of the most destructive tree pests ever found in North America to 19.

Boone County was put on the infested list in August when EAB, which kills ash trees and already has killed millions across the Midwest, was positively identified by a federal EAB team in the city of Boone in June.

In Keokuk County, the positive identification of EAB was made by an Iowa EAB Team member who observed an ash tree with evidence of recent woodpecker activity, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). A tree branch was removed and a suspect larva was collected.

Mike Kinter, the IDALS EAB and gypsy moth coordinator, said the Keokuk find is no real surprise considering the other recent discoveries in nearby areas in December.

Like many other finds this winter, woodpecker activity continues to capture our attention of potentially EAB infested trees, said Kinter, who in April spoke to city and Boone County staff and the public about the coming infestation. The winter months are an opportune time to scout for the signs we are looking for, such as light-colored bark areas, or flecking, and feeding holes as a result of woodpeckers searching for EAB larvae to feed on.

The half-inch long metallic green colored beetle kills four species of Iowas ash trees: blue, green, black and white. Experts with the IDALS have said EAB will most likely kill 99 percent of the states ash trees.

Long before the arrival of EAB, the City of Boone began preparations, namely earmarking funds in a five-year plan for tree removal. It also surveyed and cataloged ash trees in the citys rights of way. The citys parks department has completed its cataloging and has already begun removing ash trees with a girth of 18 inches or less. The removal of larger diameter trees, many with a 50-inch diameter, will be bid out to contractors. There are an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 ash trees in the citys rights of way.

Classified as a Tree City U.S.A. for 27 years, Boone has created an inventory of its trees. The inventory was converted to a GIS system, which shows the location of species in city rights of ways. Accessed by Smartphones and iPads, the system monitors the trees condition and required maintenance.

The map of the ash trees in the citys rights of way that have been marked with an X for removal can be seen on the citys website under EAB information (www.boonegov.com/eab.html). The city will not charge for removal of a tree in its right of way. Residents are responsible for ash trees on their property. Residents with an ash tree in the right of way adjoining their property can file an appeal with the citys parks department to not have it removed. If successful, the resident is responsible for maintenance, removal and liability of the ash tree, according to the citys website. There is a $50 filing fee for each tree and a $25 fee for each additional tree with a maximum of $150.

The next window for preventative treatment measures - trunk injection, soil injection, soil drench, or basal trunk sprays - will open in mid-April to mid-May, according to the IDALS.

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EAB found in Keokuk County