There have now been confirmed cases of Emerald ash borer (EAB) in Washington and Van Buren Counties, bringing the total number of confirmed counties infected in Iowa to 34 since 2010. EAB is a metallic green beetle that during the larvae stage, will tunnel under the bark of ash trees. This disrupts the flow of water and nutrients and causes the tree to die. Being only about a half inch long and slender makes the beetle difficult to locate in many landscapes. The Washington County infestation was discovered after a concerned homeowner alerted the Iowa EAB Team about an ash tree showing the associated signs and symptoms. In Van Buren County, the first tree in which the problem was detected was located in a public area. In both cases, specimens were gathered and sent to the USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory in Maryland for verification. EAB is responsible for the death of millions of ash trees in 27 states. It is a native insect of Asia and was first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002.
