Ash Tree Assassin May Be Headed To Caldwell

CALDWELL, NJ — An ash tree assassin may be on its way to Caldwell. And unchecked, the Emerald Ash Borer could mean death for as much as 60 percent of the ash trees currently growing at right-of-ways in the township over the next several years, local experts say.

The insect, discovered in New Jersey in May 2014 in Somerset County, has caused infestations throughout the U.S. and Canada that have killed tens of millions of ash trees since 2002, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

As of July 2017, the emerald ash borer has been found in New Jersey in Bergen, Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset and Warren counties, the DEP states.

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During a Caldwell Borough Council earlier this month, Ann Marchioni of the Caldwell Environment Commission said there are about 95 borough-owned ash trees in the town possibly susceptible to the ash borer, but borough forester John Linson said that only 15 or 20 trees would be worth saving in the event of an infestation, TAP Into West Essex stated.

The treatment would cost $150 for each tree with a 20-inch diameter, Marchioni said.

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According to the DEP:

“The adult Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is approximately ½ inch long and 1/8 inch wide, metallic-green in color, with a metallic-copper red abdomen. The larvae are white or cream colored, measure approximately 1 to 1.25 inches long and have 10 abdominal segments that are bell shaped. EAB adults emerge in May or early June creating D-shaped exit holes, 3 to 4 mm in size on the branches and trunks of infested trees and stay active through August. The EAB feed on the margins of the ash leaf and have a one-year life cycle. After feeding, the female EAB deposits eggs in bark crevices or under bark flaps on the trunk or bark. After the egg matures, larvae burrow under the bark and feed on the cambium - the water and nutrient transporting layer of the tree. The larvae become adult beetles in April or May.”

The DEP adds:

“Emerald Ash Borers first infest the top of the tree’s crown, which makes spotting adult beetles or exit holes nearly impossible from the ground. Woodpecker activity and damage on live trees is often an initial sign of an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. As Emerald Ash Borer populations increase, crown dieback, epicormic branching, bark splits, and exit holes lower on the bole become more prevalent. Trees will only live an average of 3 to 4 years after infestation.”

Learn more about the Emerald Ash Borer here.

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Photo: NJ DEP