Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a beetle native to Asia that was first discovered in the United States in 2002 in southeast Michigan. It can currently be found in at least twelve states and two Canadian provinces and has killed tens of millions of ash trees. The larvae feed under the bark and damage the vascular tissue of the tree to the point of death. Native ash trees have little to no natural defense against this exotic insect. Therefore EAB will kill ash trees that are not protected with repeated applications of insecticide.

EAB was first detected in Marion County in 2006 and has established populations in Washington and Lawrence Township. . Hundreds of ash trees in private property, parks and right of ways in these two townships are already infested with EAB. All of Marion County is under a quarantine to help prevent the further spread of EAB. This quarantine regulates the movement of materials that could hasten the spread of EAB including firewood. DO NOT MOVE FIREWOOD OUT OF MARION COUNTY. IT CAN SPREAD EAB AND ITS DAMAGING EFFECTS TO NEW AREAS.

EAB will have an adverse effect on the tree canopy in Marion County. It has been estimated that between eight and fourteen percent of tree canopy in Marion County is made up of ash trees. As EAB progresses through the county dead and dying ash trees will be removed as they become a hazard. A portion of the city's tree planting efforts will also focus on replacing ash trees.

Department of Public Works (DPW) has teamed up with Valent Professional Products and The Davey Tree Expert Company to treat ash trees at three Indy Parks' locations for the next five years at no cost to the city.

DPW and Indy Parks are also working together to identify a number of ash trees throughout the park system to treat in an effort to preserve some ash trees as specimens.

For information on how to safely plan to keep shade cover through a mixture of treating and replacing ash trees. 

You may also wish to contact Steve Mayer
Marion County's Purdue extension office
275-9305, x. 290,
or e-mail mayersl@purdue.edu   

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture /Emerald Ash Borer