The Minnesota Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday it has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer in Blue Earth County.
The state agency says a resident in the city of St. Clair was cutting down an ash tree and noticed insect galleries in the wood. The homeowner contacted a local Minnesota Department of Natural Resources forester, who notified the MDA. MDA staff says they were able to find live Emerald Ash Borer larvae and collect samples for federal identification.
Blue Earth County joins 26 other Minnesota counties that have identified the presence of Emerald Ash Borer. Other counties to have confirmed the presence in southern Minnesota include Cottonwood, Sibley, Brown, Martin, Nobles, Rice and Steele Counties.