Emerald ash borer has been discovered in the city of Mankato for the first time during a routine tree survey done by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
EAB is a tree killing larva that tunnels under the bark of ash trees and feeds on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk.
Area residents are encouraged to watch for signs of EAB:
Identify ash trees. EAB only feed on ash trees. Ash have branches that come off the trunk directly across from each other, known as opposite branching. On older trees, the bark is in a tight, diamond shaped pattern. Younger trees have relatively smooth bark.
Look for woodpecker damage. Woodpeckers eat EAB larvae and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of EAB.
Check for bark cracks. EAB larvae tunneling under the bark can cause the bark to split open, revealing the S-shaped larval tunnels underneath.
Contact a professional.
The city is asking residents to avoid transporting firewood, a top cause of spreading EAB.
Minnesota is highly susceptible to EAB, an invasive insect, because I has approximately one billion ash trees, the most of any state in the nation.