The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has expanded the quarantine of trees to several Northern Virginia counties, including Loudoun, because of two confirmed infestation of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) discovered in Herndon and the Newington areas in Fairfax County.

The discovery of the tree-killing beetle in Fairfax earlier this month prompted state officials to issue a county quarantine, which prohibits the movement of ash trees, untreated ash lumber products, and hardwood firewood outside of the quarantined area.

The EAB is a highly destructive, invasive species that has already killed millions of ash trees in Michigan and Ohio,and poses a serious threat to ash trees in Virginia.

The insect is most destructive in its larval stage, where as a grub it hides beneath the bark and devours the wood, cutting off the tree’s water and nutrient lifeline. The borer was introduced to the United States, researchers believe, in 2002 at an international shipping port on Lake Michigan. Recent findings suggest that EAB adults can fly up to one mile per flight and take multiple flights, resulting in spreading infestations for 10 to 20 miles or more. People moving firewood from one location to another may spread the pests unintentionally. Including ash trees, regulated articles such as green non-heat treated ash lumber and ashwood products, as well as hardwood firewood, pose a significant risk of transporting EAB.

Government and private researchers are working feverishly to prevent their spread, but average citizens must do their part by heeding quarantine rules and restricting the expansion of these species until more permanent remedies can be found.

Excerpt from Leesburg Today and the Free Lance Star

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