KANSAS CITY — The emerald ash borer has reached the Kansas City area. The Kansas City Star reported that a tree in Platte County, Mo., was killed by the emerald ash borer. The Asian tree killer was first found in southeast Missouri in 2008 and it had been expected to spread across Missouri. Missouri Department of Agriculture experts say just one emerald ash borer will kill an ash tree 100 percent of the time. The metallic green insect eats and lays eggs on the bark of ash trees. When the eggs hatch, larvae burrow into the layer of the tree that brings water and nutrients from the roots, and eat the living tissue, eventually cutting off all nutrients. The probably got into the U.S. from a container ship that landed at Detroit 10 years ago and has spread to more than 15 states, mainly through the transport of firewood. The Kansas Department of Agriculture said it has been preparing for the emerald ash borer but the bug has not been found in Kansas. The department has set a variety of prevention and surveillance systems in Kansas. The department said it and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have set more than 300 traps on ash trees. Trees infested with emerald ash borer will have canopy dieback, water sprouts, bark splitting, serpentine-like galleries and D-shaped exit holes. The department says if anyone thinks that one of their trees may have the pest, they should notify the KDA immediately. Johnson County Extension Dennis Patton said if you have an ash tree, you shouldn’t necessarily panic nor should you start buying chemicals to treat it. Your best defense is to make sure the tree is properly watered and pruned because the borers tend to target unhealthy trees, Patton said.
Friday, July 27, 1 p.m.
