Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

If insects were humans, the city of Longmont’s Police Services Division might issue an all points bulletin for the emerald ash borer (EAB). On June 8, the Colorado EAB Response Team confirmed that the invasive tree pest was identified in Longmont.

According to the Response Team, “This is the first confirmation of EAB anywhere in Colorado outside the city of Boulder.”

The infected tree is on private property near 9th Ave. and Hover St. and was first identified by an arborist who suspected the existence of EAB based on the tree’s symptoms. Soon the Longmont Forestry Services and the Colorado Department of Agriculture were involved and the EAB was confirmed.

It’s possible that the EAB was accidentally transported by humans on firewood or other raw ash material into the Longmont area, and the infestation is an isolated incident and can be contained. But since at least 15 percent of Colorado’s urban and community trees are ash and Longmont alone is home to an estimated 43,000 ash trees, authorities are taking the confirmed existence very seriously.

The city will focus on protective treatment for the ash trees under its authority, beginning with at least 300 trees this summer in Thompson Park, Collyer Park, Sunset Park and Golf Course, Twin Peaks Golf Course and downtown areas. Treatment of ash trees on private property is the responsibility of the property owner and authorities recommend immediate action to “assess and evaluate treatment.”

The first step for property owners is to determine if they have ash trees.

Contacting SprayTech is an efficient way to manage next steps. SprayTech’s certified arborist and trained technicians can examine your ash trees to determine overall health. Because of the presence of EAB, the Colorado Department of Agriculture does not recommend that new ash trees be planted in the state and sometimes the best course of action is to remove and replace an ash that is not robustly healthy.

Signs of EAB infestation that our technicians look for include thinning upper branches, loss of leaves, small D-shaped bark holes, split bark or increased woodpecker activity. It’s possible that EAB larvae or adult may be visible.

If you are anxious to move forward on your own, the Colorado State Forest Service has a resource guide that can help with identification of tree symptoms and the insect itself. The Colorado Department of Agriculture has an identification page that also includes photos of insects that EABs are commonly mistaken for and a link to a reporting page.

Longmont residents and property owners are urged not to transport ash or any hardwood firewood or untreated ash wood product to other locations to prevent spread of EAB.