Invasive Specie
Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer
A Emerald Ash Borer is a green jewel beetle native to eastern Asia. It feeds on Ash species and is not considered a pest in it's natural habitat. The beetle is very prevalent in Russia, Northern China, and Japan. Outside of Asia, it is an invasive specie that destroys native ash trees in northern Europe and North America. It is suspected that it was accidentally introduced to North America in imported wood. The beetle prefers green and black ash trees to feed on.
Impact on the NC Environment
The beetle has killed tens of millions of ash trees and is expected to kill 8.7 million trees in the future. They eat the inside of the bark leading to the tree to rot from the inside out. Most trees die after 2-4 years after being infested. The loss of ash trees can increase invasive specie numbers, change soil qualities, and animals that feed on ash trees will suffer.
Fight against the Emerald Ash Borer
To prevent the destruction of ash trees, it is recommended to set up traps on ash trees to attract the beetle. The traps need to be either purple or green to attract the bug. The USA and Canada have utilized the Cerceris fumipennis wasp because the wasp feeds on the beetle. Some trees are injected with insecticide in order to kill the Emerald Ash Borer.