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May 18 to 24 is Emerald Ash Borer awareness week, drawing attention to the pest that has destroyed millions of native ash trees throughout the Midwest.

Ohio is home to more than 5 billion ash trees — nearly 10 percent of all the trees in the state. Warren County is also one of 41 counties in the state that have been quarantined due to the presence of this pest. Currently, the pest has only been located in the northwest corner of the county.

Due to the quarantine, though, it's illegal to move ash material and firewood out of the county to a non-quarantined county, and the fines can be as much $4,000 per violation.

Diagnostic Check List

Unfortunately, due to the number of trees and phone calls, it is impossible for the extension office to inspect woodlots and landscapes for the pest, so they have offered a check list to help you to determine if you have the pest.

Diagnostic signs and symptoms specific to EAB:

• D-shaped emergence holes through the bark, one-eighth of an inch in diameter:

• Serpentine, S-shaped galleries tunneled just beneath the bark:

• Legless, flattened, heavily segmented, white to cream-colored larvae (1 inch in length when mature) found beneath the bark of living trees. Each larval segment is almost bell-shaped.

• Thinning canopy and top dieback, leading to the death of the tree within 2-4 years.

• Thin, relatively short (2-5 inches long) vertical splits through the bark of living trees (with galleries beneath).

• Unnatural epicormic shoots sprouting from the main trunk and/or from the base of the tree.

• Unusually heavy woodpecker activity on living trees, particularly in the winter.

Memorial Day Camping Trips – Don't Take Firewood

Not only is moving firewood out of Warren County illegal, but it could also cost you a significant amount of money if you get caught.

If you look at a map of EAB spread throughout the state, you will notice that the I-75 corridor is all under quarantine suggesting that people moved the pest around the state in firewood and other ash materials. Being that this weekend starts EAB awareness week, expect to see Ohio Department of Agriculture inspectors at state parks and rest areas throughout the state. Don't get caught with firewood or your vacation may cost significantly more than you expected.

For more information on Emerald Ash Borer including pictures and treatment options, go to online to http://ashalert.osu.edu.

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