DES MOINES – Two adult Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetles have been collected from a trap in a residential tree in Boone and have been positively identified as EAB by a federal identifier. The trap was placed in the tree this summer after suspect galleries were found in an ash tree branch that fell during a storm.
A statewide quarantine restricting the movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash tree nursery stock out of Iowa into non-quarantined areas of other states was issued on Feb. 4, 2014 and remains in place.
“The Iowa EAB team continues to respond to reports of suspected infestations as we work to monitor its movement and hopefully slow the spread. Iowans are again reminded to not move firewood as that is the quickest way to start a new infestation,” said State Entomologist Robin Pruisner of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
The city of Boone Parks Department has already taken several steps to prepare for a potential infestation of the EAB. They have inventoried 100 percent of the street trees in the community and are assessing the condition of ash trees, as well as all other trees, in the right-of-way. The city council established funding for removal of street trees and the purchase of specialized equipment to chip large diameter trees.
