Second EAB infestation found in Illinois

WILMETTE, Ill. * Just one month after the first Illinois emerald ash borer (EAB) case was detected in Kane County, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has confirmed a second infestation in the Chicago area. IDOA announced today that a beetle found in the yard of a Wilmette home, a north suburb of Chicago, is an emerald ash borer, a destructive, non-native pest that feasts on ash trees.
"After the first EAB detection in Kane County, we have received hundreds of calls from around the state to report suspected cases. We were well aware it was only a matter of time before another case was confirmed," Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said. "The good news is residents and interest groups statewide are on the lookout and the faster we can detect and respond to a positive case, the better chance we have of isolating and containing the pest."
The emerald ash borer is a small, metallic-green beetle native to Asia. Its larvae burrow into the bark of ash trees, causing the trees to starve and eventually die. While the beetle does not pose any direct risk to public health, it does threaten the tree population. Since the emerald ash borer was first confirmed in the Midwest in the summer of 2002, more than 20 million ash trees have died.
"We can't stress enough how important community participation is in fighting the battle against the Emerald ash borer," Warren Goetsch, IDOA division manager of Natural Resources, said. "Because of the rapid response to the infestation in Kane County, we may have kept the beetle from spreading outside a half mile area of the original detection. We are in the process of laying out quarantine zones and working to contain the beetle within that area. Now, our coordinated response plan has been activated in Wilmette and we're working with local and federal partners to determine the extent of the damage in order to limit the spread. "
A resident discovered the beetle earlier this week and alerted the Village Forestry Department. After foresters examined the suspect tree they immediately contacted the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The bug was sent to the USDA to its lab in Romulus, Mich., for identification which notified IDOA nursery inspectors.
Inspectors visited the residence where the beetle was found and discovered several infested ash trees. Upon initial survey, IDOA and Village Forestry officials found suspect trees in approximately a five-block area with as many as 16 trees exhibiting symptoms of EAB infestation. A more extensive survey of the area will begin to assess the full extent of the infestation.
"This beetle is a serious threat to our residences and landscapes in Wilmette," Village President Chris Canning said. "We will do whatever is necessary to work with our homeowners and state officials to contain this pest and protect the healthy trees in our neighborhoods from future damage."
There are more than 18,600 trees on Wilmette Village parkways encompassing over 150 species and sub-species, of which 2,818 are ash. In light of the threat of the Emerald Ash Borer, the Village has not added any ash trees to its parkway tree inventory since 2003. The village has four foresters on staff who are all Certified Arborists. Wilmette has been a certified Tree City for the past twenty-two years, receiving eleven growth awards from the National Arbor Day Foundation for excellence in tree care.
Inspectors have not determined how the beetle arrived in Illinois, but suspect it may have been transported here in contaminated firewood from a quarantined area in Michigan. Michigan and Illinois are two of the five states where EAB infestations have been confirmed. The others are Indiana, Ohio and Maryland.
The emerald ash borer typically moves only short distances by flying, but can survive long distances in transit on ash nursery stock, ash logs, branches and firewood. To avoid the accidental introduction of the beetle to new areas, people are advised to purchase only locally-grown nursery stock and locally-cut firewood.
The emerald ash borer is difficult to detect in newly-infested trees. Signs of infestation include the presence of metallic-green beetles about half the diameter of a penny on or around ash trees, thinning and yellowing leaves, D-shaped holes in the bark of the trunk or branches and shoots growing from the base of the tree. Anyone who suspects a tree has been infested is urged to first contact their county Extension office. The Illinois Department of Agriculture also will offer a toll-free hotline at 800-641-3934 for extension-confirmed infestations.
Options for treating infested trees are limited. In most instances, they must be removed.
Wilmette residents with questions are asked to visit the Village's website (Wilmette.com) or contact the Wilmette Forestry Department at 847-853-7500 or forestry@wilmette.com.

Illinois Department of Agriculture